For Good
by youLOVEamelia
Summary: When Kurt's cousin arrives in Lima, everything starts to change. She and Kurt realize their lives are quite similar, and they must both accept the help of others before finding their own happiness. Kurt/Blaine Puck/OC
1. The New Girl in Town

**A/N:** I haven't written fanfiction in a while! It's good to be back. I'm trying to write this the way I imagine Glee would be shot, so forgive me if the structure seems episodic and not altogether fluid. The song used in this chapter is The New Girl in Town from Hairspray.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 1:** The New Girl in Town

The doors to William McKinley High School opened, and to the astonishment of its mostly average looking students, in walked a five foot six young lady with pixie-short blonde hair, smooth, pale skin and greenish-blue eyes. Her left, finely-plucked eyebrow arched at the stares she earned from both male and female students, but she didn't seem too surprised as her long, thin legs continued to carry her down the hallway. The students around her may have been stunned to silence either by her strong bone structure which gave her a defined, though still feminine jaw and high, pronounced cheekbones, or by the high-waisted, short, black skirt that revealed long legs and narrow feet, shoed by black stilettos, along with the crisp white blouse which had a neckline that left very little of her appropriately ample chest to the imagination.

Noah Puckerman was the first of the glee-clubbers to gain sight of the new girl. He nudged Finn, who had just broken up with Rachel, and nodded his head towards her. "I didn't think they existed." His voice sounded raspy, as though his mouth had just gone completely dry, and he leaned against the lockers for fear that his registered shock might cause him to lose his balance.

"They…?" Finn asked, looking at the new girl as she walked by. She was pretty, but he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary about her.

"A hot girl with short hair," Puck replied, amazed. At least in Lima, the girls with pixie cuts reminded him of boys or lesbians. Not this girl. Her petite frame, very present breasts and facial structure gave her the ability to chop all of her hair off to the effect of becoming only more attractive. She looked like she stepped right out of a magazine.

When the girl walked past the rest of the group, the female gleeks instinctively inched closer to their men.

All day, there were murmurs and stares and even some glares. Glee club was no different. "Did you see that girl?" Mercedes asked Tina. "I heard she's a model from New York City. I wonder what she's doing here in Lima."

"A model? I'm not surprised. Just looking at her makes me feel bad about myself," Tina replied.

"A model of what?" Brittany asked and then gasped as though a sudden realization occurred. "You mean she's a robot? Who controls her then?"

"She's not a robot, Brit. And I don't see what the big deal is. She probably doesn't want to be gawked at all day," Finn added, surprising the group.

"Yeah, alright, lover boy, I totally saw you eyeing her up in the cafeteria today," Santana reminded him, causing him to blush and remain silent.

Rachel glared at both of them. "Finn is right. She's no big deal."

Mr. Schuester chose this precise moment to walk into the choir room with a big smile on his face that told the glee clubbers that he had another assignment for them. "Hey everybody. Today I want to try something different. You can sing by yourselves or in a group, but you have to sing exactly what it is that you're feeling right now."

"Oh," Quinn said with a smile on her face, "The girls have got this down."

The cheerleading trio started with Quinn leading the way:

_Hey look out for that moving van_

_Driving down our street_

_You'd better lock up your man_

_Before he meets_

_The new girl in town_

_Who just came on the scene_

_The new girl in town_

_Can't be more than sixteen._

_But she's got a way of making_

_A boy act like a clown_

_Wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo_

_We don't know what to do 'bout the new girl in town._

Puck's attention was only taken away from this performance when he saw a face appear in the doorway to the choir room, as if she knew that somewhere within the school, somebody had been singing about her.

_The new girl in town_

_Seems to dance on air_

_The new girl in town_

_She's got the coolest hair_

_You'd better tell the homecoming queen_

_To hold on to her crown_

_Wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo_

_Or she's gonna lose it to the new girl in town_

_She's hip, so cool_

_I'm gonna get her after school_

_And yet we'd like to be like her_

_Cuz she's the kitten that the cats prefer_

Mercedes took the lead now, joined by Rachel and Tina.

_The new girl in town_

_Has my guy on a string_

_The new girl in town_

_Hey look she's wearing his ring_

_I can't stop crying_

_And so in my own tears I'm gonna drown_

_Wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo_

_Cuz he wants to rendezvous_

_With the new girl_

_We're kinda sad and blue_

_Yes it's true girl_

_We'd like to say_

_To the new girl in town_

As the girls continued to sing, Puck's eyes lingered on the figure in the doorway. He'd never slept with a girl with short hair before, never wanted to. There was something else about her though that drew him in. She was…confident. The smirk on her face and that strange light in her eyes made her a challenge. And Puck was going to overcome this challenge.

_Hey look out for that moving van_

_Look out, look out, look out, look out!_

_She was the new girl in…town!_

The girls were startled when clapping came from the doorway. All eyes were on the new girl as she walked into the room a smile on her face. "You guys are great! It's much better seeing you live instead of watching the videos Kurt sends me of sectionals," she said. It was the first time Puck ever heard her voice and he hoped it wouldn't be the last.

"Kurt? You know Kurt?" Mercedes asked, a hand on her hip.

"Of course I do. He's my cousin. My name is Evangeline Hummel. Most people call me Eve," she replied. "Where is Kurt? I didn't call him or Uncle Burt because I wanted him to be surprised, but I haven't seen him all day."

Though surprised at first, it began to dawn on the glee clubbers that their relation made sense. They both were obviously involved in fashion, and this girl seemed to be as theatrical as Kurt. She had the same jaw-line as their missing cohort and the same eyes. The way she carried herself as somehow superior in all ways was even reminiscent of their transferred friend. "Er…" Finn started as he stood up from his chair, not sure what to say. "Kurt transferred to Dalton Academy. I'm Finn, his stepbrother," he said.

"Finn!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly as she gave the tall teen a hug. Rachel was nearly seething even as the girl pulled away. "I wish I could have been at the wedding, but we were getting everything ready for the move. I'm so happy to meet my new cousin. I've heard so much about you from Kurt." She smiled at everyone else. "Now what's this about Kurt transferring?"

Dalton was a completely different world and so was that of the Warblers. Kurt had never felt so…what? There was no word for the way he was feeling. There should be a word for the opposite of alone. Now there were too many people, all of whom expected him to conform, to be exactly like them. Maybe smothered was the right word. It had been a couple of weeks since his transfer, but he still felt like the new kid, the one who didn't quite fit in.

"Kurt, you alright?" The brunette's head snapped up to see Blaine standing next to his chair in one of the many study lounges. "You look a bit forlorn."

Kurt smiled. "I'm fine. It's just a different atmosphere here and I haven't gotten used to it yet. But I will," he replied hoping that it was true.

Blaine took the seat next to Kurt. "I know you will, Kurt." He smiled and nudged Kurt playfully. "And now that sectionals is over, we can have a little fun this weekend. The school's Christmas Ball is in two weeks."

"A ball? With just boys?" Kurt asked.

"The girls from our sister school are always invited too. And everyone brings their significant others," he explained. "It's always a good time. You'll come, won't you? I mean, you'll have to for at least the customary Warbler number. But you'll stay?"

The other teen hesitated before nodding. He didn't want to seem too eager. In truth, Kurt would have loved if Blaine had asked him to go to the ball with him. It hadn't taken much, but the feminine brunette was quite smitten with his mentor. "Sure, it sounds fun," he replied.

His thoughts were distracted when his phone began to vibrate. Evangeline's name popped up on the caller ID and he immediately rushed to pick up. He hadn't spoken to his favorite cousin in weeks. "Eve? How are you?"

"Kurt! Why didn't you tell me what was going on at McKinley? I meant to surprise you by moving to Lima and going to school with you, but your glee friends tell me you transferred to Dalton because of some Karofsky douche," she replied without answering his question.

Blaine gave Kurt a look that signified that he could hear most of the conversation. Evangeline could be a bit loud when she was excited. "Eve, don't worry about it. I'm safe now, and everything's fine. And I'm only about an hour away now so I'm sure I'll see you soon. Why the sudden move?" he asked, knowing how much his cousin loved New York City. There was no way she would have moved without putting up a fight. After all, her modeling career was there. There was nothing in Lima for someone like her.

She faltered in her response. "Well, I was just getting tired of the big city and I thought it'd be nice to see you. I was so bummed when they told me you didn't go to McKinley anymore, but I got to meet all of your friends in New Directions."

"How are they? I haven't really spoken to anyone besides Mercedes after sectionals." Though Rachel had assured him that he'd made the right choice in going to Dalton, Kurt still felt guilty for leaving New Directions so close to sectionals. He hoped they were doing well.

"Oh, they're great. I met Finn! What a cutie. I mean, he's not my type, though he's certainly tall enough. But he seems like a good guy, a good brother. Everyone misses you. Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you!"

"What?" Kurt asked, afraid of her response. Evangeline was a great cousin, but sometimes she could be a little wild. She'd told him some crazy stories about her life in the city, especially in the modeling industry.

"I'm auditioning for New Directions tomorrow! I should probably go practice actually. You know I'm not that great of a singer, but I'm hoping to woo them with my fine violin playing, or maybe on the piano or something. We'll see!" she said cheerfully. "But Kurt, if anyone ever bothers you whether here or at Dalton, let me know, okay?"

Kurt was taken aback by the sudden seriousness in her voice. "Sure. I'll talk to you soon. Let me know how your audition goes. Love you." They both hung up.

"Who was that?" Blaine asked, an amused smirk on his face.

"My cousin, Evangeline. She apparently moved to Lima and transferred to McKinley. She's probably one of the most spontaneous people I've ever met," he replied with a laugh. "You'd probably like her."

"I'll take your word for it. Why don't you bring her to the ball?"

"Could I?" Kurt asked, his face truly brightening for the first time all day.

"Of course. I'll even see if the planning committee is cool with your McKinley friends coming along. Dalton has a tradition of trying to make good with the competition. I'm sure they'll be persuaded by the idea of having more estrogen present too," Blaine joked. "And I know you miss them a lot."

Kurt looked down but nodded. "Thanks, Blaine. That'd be great," he said, finding the courage to meet Blaine's eyes with his own.

Blaine reached over to place his hand over Kurt's. "Don't mention it. Anything to make you feel more at home."

Neither of them noticed a pair of jealous eyes from across the room.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** is friends with **Finn Hudson**, **Quinn Fabray** and **12 others**.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** to **Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Blaine said you and New Directions could come to Dalton's Christmas ball. You free the Saturday after this?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Sounds like fun! Who's Blaine?

**Blaine Anderson**: - This guy

**Kurt Hummel** and **Santana Lopez** like this.

**Santana Lopez**: Wanky wanky ;)

**Blaine Anderson** likes this.

**Kurt Hummel**: Santana!

**Brittany S. Pierce**: Is Blaine a dolphin too? :D

**Blaine Anderson**: ?

**Kurt Hummel**: I'll explain later, Blaine.

* * *

**Blaine Anderson** is friends with **Evangeline Anne Hummel**, **Santana Lopez **and **10 others**.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** had a great first day at McKinley, but misses **Kurt Hummel** and can't wait to see him soon!

**Kurt Hummel** and **Blaine Anderson** like this.

**Kurt Hummel**: I miss you too BB!

* * *

**Quinn Fabray** to **Sam Evans**: How would you feel if I chopped all of my hair off?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** likes this.

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: Like I said, people with bone structure likes yours and Evangeline's can pull off the Rosemary's Baby look.

**Kurt Hummel**: Just don't give birth to the devil's spawn, please.

**Sam Evans**: Whatever makes you happy, babe. Except, yeah, don't have the devil's kid.

**Finn Hudson**: ?

**Kurt Hummel**: Don't worry about it Finn.

**Noah Puckerman**, **Sam Evans** and **15 others** like this.

* * *

**Blaine Anderson** is in love with** Brittany S. Pierce** and would love to be her dolphin.

**Brittany S. Pierce**: :D

* * *

**Noah Puckerman**: She was the new girl in town. Wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo-wo-oo.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** likes this.


	2. Misery Business

**A/N:** The song in this chapter is Misery Business by Paramore. I'm sorry about the lyrics being all smushed together. No matter what I do, they won't stay separated.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 2:** Misery Business

When Evangeline woke up the next morning, the sun was shining, and she decided that she was going to have a good day. This was despite the fact that the house was practically empty, giving the impression of destitution. Her bedroom had a couple of boxes, her wardrobe filled with all of her favorite clothes, her bed, on which she was now sitting, and a desk. There was nothing on the walls, no paint or posters or photographs. The same went for the rest of her house.

Stretching, Evangeline got out of bed, and walked into the hallway, meaning to go to the bathroom. She stopped at the door to the master bedroom. Even knowing that it would never be filled by her parents, she'd left it empty. Shrugging at her own sentimentality, she walked into the bathroom and began to get ready for school. Everything had to be perfect. She had to be perfect.

Evangeline walked through the halls of McKinley High School with a mission. Those who stopped to glance at her wouldn't know it, but she meant business. In a black, sleeveless mini-dress and bright purple heels, the sway of her hips was enough to distract any straight male from the glint in her eyes that meant someone was in trouble. Yes. Someone had messed with her cousin and she was going to make him pay.

Her target was found much by mistake as a whistle came from behind her. Turning around with a graceful pivot, she saw a group of guys in letterman jackets and gave them the most attractive smirk she could muster. Walking over to them, she watched as the gaggle of guys continued to smile and appreciate her appearance. "Lookin' good, new girl," one of them said.

Giving them an innocent smile, she thanked him. "Is one of you Dave Karofsky?" she asked seductively.

One of them cleared his throat. So this was the guy. He was a couple inches taller than her, even in her heels, but she wasn't scared of him. He looked like a bumbling giant. Sure, he could cause some damage, but she knew she had the upper hand. She had her sex appeal and she could hang it over the heads of his entire group of lackeys.

Evangeline grabbed his collar seductively and pulled him close enough that she could say something in his ear. His cohorts giggled like preteen girls at the image of their friend being seduced by the new girl, thinking their boy was going to get laid. Evangeline smiled. With her lips close to his ear, she whispered, "If you come anywhere near my family again, I'll make sure you pay with appendages starting with your dick. Is that clear?" She pulled back and grinned at the frightened and surprised look on his face. Patting his cheek, she turned to blow kisses at his jock friends. "Nice chatting," she said and made her exit.

Either by luck or by coincidence, Puck had witnessed the entire thing. Joining Evangeline's side in the hallway, he wondered what she possibly could have said to make Karofsky's face turn so white. "Hey, you alright?" he asked, causing her to look over at him. Evangeline had to admit it. Puck was fine. Puck was beautifully masculine in such a way that she had to force herself to remain nonchalant, remain unattached.

"Oh, I'm fine. I think Karofsky will lay off for a while now," she replied happily.

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing much. I just threatened to chop off his manhood should he come anywhere near my family." She acted as though it wasn't a big deal and smiled when Puck gave her a sidelong glance. It was bad how much he wanted this girl. She was a total badass! It made her so much hotter. Who would have guessed that this polished, chic, petite girl could take on one of the football players, specifically the one who had driven her cousin away?

"Remind me not to get on your bad side."

Stopping at her locker, she smiled at him. "Will do."

Kurt felt like someone was watching him. It was an odd sensation and one that made him feel leery. It was almost like he expected Karofsky to appear at any moment. Memories of the way the brute had touched him before stealing the wedding cake topper made him tremble and bite his lip nervously. There was always that voice in his head, reminding him of what could have happened had he stayed at McKinley. But Karofsky wasn't here. It was all in his head.

But even as the Warblers practice commenced, the feeling lingered. As they ran through their number for the Christmas Ball, Kurt felt eyes burning through him. It lasted all throughout the afternoon.

"You alright, Kurt?" Why did everyone feel the need to ask him this lately? Wes appeared at his side as the Warblers began to exit the choir room. The boy's features were set in a concerned expression as he looked at Kurt. It was obvious that the new kid was having some trouble integrating into Dalton's society, but that wasn't even his main concern at the moment.

Once again, Kurt nodded. "Never better."

"Well good because someone's been watching you," Wes said in a hushed whisper, nodding his head towards the corner of the room. Kurt turned his head to find that, indeed, someone was watching him. It wasn't Karofsky though. His name was Louis Kane. The glare on the boy's pale face was unmistakable as dark brown eyes burnt their way through Kurt's skin. Louis was a couple inches taller than Kurt and kept his blonde hair quaffed perfectly. Why this boy clearly had a problem, Kurt didn't know, but he was going to find out.

"Why?"

"He's Blaine's ex. Blaine broke it off after he caught him with some girl at one of Dalton's parties," Wes replied. "He's probably jealous that you two have been spending so much time together. Try not to let him bother you, alright?"

Before Kurt could ask more about it, Blaine ran up to them with his signature grin on his face. "Hey Kurt, I got the go-ahead on inviting New Directions to the Christmas Ball."

"Really? That's great! I can't wait to tell them," Kurt replied, completely forgetting Louis in his excitement. It also didn't help that Blaine was standing ever so close to him. Kurt seemed to feed off of the other boy's energy, brightening up the moment he walked into the room.

"Yeah, but there's one condition."

"Oh?"

"They have to sing something for us. Like a little scrimmage between them and us," Blaine replied.

"I'm sure they won't have a problem with that," Kurt said, smiling. He knew his friends at McKinley would eagerly accept this condition, wanting to strut their stuff.

"Sounds good," Wes interjected. "I'll see you two at dinner?" With that, he left with the other Warblers, including Louis, who had given up his staring at least for now. Kurt had watched him leave the room, wondering if he should feel threatened by him or not.

A sudden bleeping sound from Kurt's phone alerted him to a text from Mercedes. "I'll have to confiscate that phone if it keeps getting in the way of our time together," Blaine said, causing Kurt to blush ever so slightly.

"It's Mercedes. She says Eve is about to audition. She's going to take a video."

Evangeline entered the choir room, carrying a violin case and some sheet music, which she gave to the orchestra that always seemed mysteriously present and ready to play anything given to them. "Whenever you're ready, Evangeline," Mr. Schuester said with a kind smile on his face.

"Thanks," Evangeline said, opening the violin case to retrieve her instrument. Setting her bow onto the strings, she counted off and suddenly the string section was playing the opening to Paramore's "Misery Business." Evangeline was included in the section, playing the intro before leaning in towards the microphone.

_I'm in the business of misery_

_Let's take it from the top_

_She's got a body like an hourglass_

_It's ticking like a clock_

_It's a matter of time_

_Before we all run out_

_When I thought he was mine_

_She caught him by the mouth_

_I waited eight long months_

_She finally set him free_

_I told him I can't lie_

_He was the only one for me_

_Two weeks and we caught on fire_

_She's got it out for me_

_But I wear the biggest smile_

The glee clubbers had never heard a version of the song quite like this. They were used to guitars and drums. This was all strings with Evangeline at the head of it, leading the way with her violin. The way she moved as she pulled her bow across the strings had her audience entranced more than her singing. That's not to say she wasn't a good singer. There was just something about her expressive way of playing that put them under her spell.

_Whoa, I never meant to brag_

_But I got him where I want him now_

_Whoa, it was never my intention to brag_

_To steal him all away from you now_

_But God does it feel so good_

_Cause I got him where I want him now_

_And if you could then you know you would_

_Cause God it just feels so_

_It just feels so good_

Most of the Warblers were gathered around Kurt's computer in the study lounge, watching as Evangeline played her violin in between verses. "It looks like music runs in your family, Kurt," Blaine said with a big grin.

"She plays well, but her singing is mediocre," Louis offered, frowning at the two of them.

"Oh, you're just being a grump. She's great," David replied.

"And you're only thinking with your dick," Louis murmured.

"Whatever, she's hot," said another of the Warblers. When Kurt noticed Louis continuing to stare at them, he instinctively moved a little closer to Blaine, who sat right next to him at the table.

_Second chances they don't ever matter_

_People never change_

_Once a whore you're nothing more_

_I'm sorry, that'll never change_

_And about forgiveness_

_We're supposed to have exchanged_

_I'm sorry honey, but I'm passing up_

_Now look this way_

_Well there's a million other girls_

_Who do it just like you_

_Looking as innocent as possible_

_To get to who_

_They want and what they want_

_It's easy if you do it right_

_Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse_

When Blaine's arm draped over Kurt's shoulder, the effeminate boy couldn't help but feel a little smug. He didn't know Louis that well, but he knew that the boy had hurt Blaine. He'd lost his chance. Now, Kurt didn't think he had much of a chance with someone as wonderful as Blaine, but he would bask in the attention given to him by his fellow Warbler. Cause, God, it just felt so good.

_Whoa, I never meant to brag_

_But I got him where I want him now_

_Whoa, it was never my intention to brag_

_To steal him all away from you now_

_But God does it feel so good_

_Cause I got him where I want him now_

_And if you could then you know you would_

_Cause God it just feels so_

_It just feels so good._

Evangeline looked at her audience, taking her bow off of the string for a moment as everything got quieter.

_I watched his wildest dreams come true_

_Not one of them involving you_

_Just watch my wildest dreams come true_

_Not one of them involving_

The violin was back in action now, Evangeline's body moving along with the music as she played.

_Whoa, I never meant to brag_

_But I got him where I want him now_

_Whoa, I never meant to brag_

_But I got him where I want him now_

_Whoa, it was never my intention to brag_

_To steal him all away from you now_

_But God does it feel so good_

_Cause I got him where I want him now_

_And if you could then you know you would_

_Cause God it just feels so_

_It just feels so good._

Everyone except Rachel applauded as the music ended. Mr. Schuester seemed extremely pleased. "I think I speak on behalf of the club when I say we're glad to have you on our team," he said.

"Thanks, Mr. Schuester," Evangeline replied, pleased with the results as she packed up her violin. "I can also play piano if Silent Bob over there ever gets tired of playing for you guys." She nodded over to the piano player, who simply frowned at her.

After glee club, Finn caught up with Evangeline in the hallway. "Hey," he said with that goofy grin on his face. "Burt told me to invite you to our house for dinner. Ever since you called, he's been wanting to see you. And my mom wants to meet you."

Evangeline beamed. "Sure! I've been so busy unpacking that I haven't had a chance to drop by yet. Mom and Dad are still in New York for business, so it's a bit lonely in the house. Mind if I get a ride with you then?" she asked.

Meanwhile, Rachel stood not too far away, listening and glaring. She was still heartbroken over Finn. It was only natural that she assumed the worst about this new character entering Finn's public sphere. It didn't help that she was now "family." She could just see Finn and Evangeline together. But no, she tried to push such thoughts ought of her head. This was Kurt's cousin. She loved Kurt and while that didn't mean that she had to love Evangeline, hating her was the last thing to do if she wanted to get back into Finn's good graces.

Puck was just passing by when he noticed Rachel and the look on her face. Since her break up with Finn, he'd been there for his fellow Jew, just as he'd promised. "Hey, what's going on?"

"That new girl and Finn are getting awfully close," Rachel replied. Looking at him, she frowned. "I don't know what to do, Noah. The only thing I can do better than her is sing and Finn doesn't want to listen to me anymore."

Puck frowned now too, watching the two as they made their exit. It was always Finn. Why was it that everyone wanted Finn? Quinn had wanted him, Rachel, Santana, even Kurt, but now Evangeline? He shook his head. Rachel was looking into it too much. "Look, they're cousins now, so you have to get used to her being around if you want your boyfriend back." That being said, he walked away, not wanting to think about the prospect of those two hooking up.

As Evangeline and Finn made their way out of the school, they walked past the jocks. Smiling, Evangeline waved at Karofsky before putting her arm through Finn's in a friendly manner. "What's up with you and that Rachel girl? She seems mad tense whenever I see her," Evangeline questioned.

"Oh, we just broke up. She kind of cheated on me with Puck," he said, looking down at his feet as they walked towards his car.

Evangeline's smile faltered. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry. I didn't take her or Noah to be capable of something like that."

Finn nearly laughed. "Maybe not Rachel but Puck? He gets around. He got Quinn pregnant while we were dating too," he remarked not caring to embellish more than that.

Now it was Evangeline who was looking at the ground. Was Noah really that kind of person? It was a bit early for her to make certain judgments, but he'd seemed nice enough. She hoped the disappointment at this news didn't show on her face. It wasn't that he got around that bothered her really. Please, she'd had her fair share of getting around in New York. It was the way he could do that to a friend—especially her new cousin—that made her suddenly wary of Noah Puckerman.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** tagged **Evangeline Anne Hummel** in a video

**Noah Puckerman**, **Kurt Hummel** and **23 others** like this.

**Santana Lopez:** Get it!

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** and** Noah Puckerman** like this.

**Kurt Hummel:** That's how we Hummels do it.

**Kurt Hummel**, **Blaine Anderson** and **13 others** like this.

**Tina Cohen-Chang:** Please tell me you have one flaw. My self esteem is going way down.

**Mike Chang:** You're perfect to me! Asian kiss!

**Santana Lopez:** *barf

**Quinn Fabray**, **Noah Puckerman** and **21 others** like this.

* * *

**Rachel Berry** to **Evangeline Anne Hummel**: On behalf of New Directions, I'd like to welcome you.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Thanks Rachel! I appreciate it.

* * *

**Finn Hudson** listed **Evangeline Anne Hummel** as a cousin.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** and **Kurt Hummel** like this.

* * *

**Brittany S. Pierce** misses her dolphin.

**Kurt Hummel** and** Blaine Anderson **like this.

**Brittany S. Pierce**: Are you two making dolphin babies?

**Santana Lopez**, **Sam Evans** and **54 others **like this.

**Santana Lopez**: Hot ;)

**Kurt Hummel**: I hate you all.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** is now friends with **Wes Richter**, **David Thompson** and **57 others**.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** to** Kurt Hummel**: Who are all of these guys requesting to be my friend?

**Blaine Anderson**: The straight population of Dalton Academy.

**Wes Richter**: You're coming to the Christmas Ball here at Dalton, right?

**David Thompson** and **53 others** like this.

**Wes Richter**: Right?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I'll keep you guessing ;)

**Santana Lopez**, **Brittany S. Pierce** and **12 others** like this.

**Blaine Anderson**: Keep it in your pants, Wes. Your girlfriend as a facebook, remember?

**Kurt Hummel**, **Evangeline Anne Hummel** and **23 others** like this.

* * *

**Rachel Berry**, **Blaine Anderson** and **254 others** are attending **Dalton Academy Christmas Ball**

* * *

**Wes Richter** to **Evangeline Anne Hummel**: You seriously put maybe attending on the event page?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: :D

* * *

**Kurt Hummel**: Whoa, I never meant to brag, but I got him where I want him now.

**Blaine Anderson**, **Evangeline Anne Hummel** and **25 others** like this.


	3. Can't Take It

**A/N:** The song in this chapter is Can't Take It by All American Rejects.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 3:** Can't Take It

For the fourth time that week, Kurt sprung up into a sitting position, deep gasps rasping from his throat as he shakily covered his face with his hands. The bed creaked under his movement when he frantically looked about the room to make sure it hadn't been real. It was just a dream. Dave Karofsky wasn't lurking in the shadows of Dalton Academy. He was back in Lima. Kurt had to remind himself over and over again that his fears were nowhere in sight.

It was lucky that Kurt had transferred midterm. It meant he had his dorm all to himself and wouldn't wake anyone with his night terrors. So when he trembled and cried, nobody would know. When he dreamed of Karofsky coming to get him, he at least didn't have to worry about bothering anybody with his nightly anxiety attacks.

When he felt that he could manage to look somewhat composed, Kurt pushed himself out of his bed, adorned a pair of slippers and quietly made his way out of his room and down the hallway towards the bathroom he shared with the other boys on his floor. Upon entering the bathroom, he went up to the row of sinks and started to splash cold water onto his pale face. His hands trembled as they moved about their work, rubbing his face as best as they could before Kurt looked up to see himself in the mirror. He looked awful. There were dark circles lingering under his eyes, and his skin had a paleness unnatural to Kurt's normal glow. He was thinner, and it was visible due to the hollow look in his face.

"Kurt?" The startled boy quickly turned around to find David staring at him from the bathroom door with a concerned look on his face. Was every Warbler going to worry about him? Or was it just going to be Blaine, Wes and David? "You feeling okay? You look a little…out of it." He wasn't sure if this way the right way to express the way Kurt looked to him. There was just something off about him as the petite boy stood by the sink in his pajamas.

Kurt did his best to smile without showing that he was trembling. "Yeah, I'm g-good. I just haven't been sleeping too well," he admitted before looking at himself in the mirror again. He didn't want to give David the chance to study the darkened marks under his eyes.

David wasn't satisfied though. He walked up behind Kurt and touched his shoulder, causing the boy to flinch and pull back. The other boy put his hands up to show Kurt that he wouldn't touch him again. "You sure that's it? You seem jumpy. And no offence, Kurt, but you look awful," he added. "I know you're probably having some trouble adjusting to Dalton." Oh no. Kurt didn't want to have this talk. Definitely not now… "I didn't sleep when I first moved into the dorms, so I understand. You just have to give yourself some time. You'll adjust."

Kurt blinked. "Uh…thanks, Dave. But really, I'm okay," he said, trying to smile.

"Is it something else? Really, Kurt, we've all been a little worried about you, especially Blaine," David admitted.

Kurt sighed. It wasn't fair that he was making all of his new friends worry about him, especially since he'd been trying to do just the opposite. "Did Blaine tell you anything about the reason why I came here?"

David nodded. "He said you were experiencing some bullying at McKinley and decided to transfer." The guilty look on Kurt's face didn't go unnoticed by David. "Is there something else that maybe you didn't tell Blaine?"

Was he that transparent? Turning to face David so that he leaned against the sink, Kurt took another deep breath. "You can't tell Blaine. I didn't want anyone to know. It's embarrassing. And I know Blaine would just worry over it."

The expression on David's face was one that made Kurt able to tell his story. It was a look that said he was listening, not judging. "Why don't you tell me the whole thing then? The boys won't be up for a couple of hours yet."

Kurt nodded and continued. "I'm sure Blaine told you about Karofsky and what happened when I stood up to him." The memory of the kiss still made Kurt shudder. "I didn't tell Blaine, but he threatened to kill me if I told anyone about the kiss."

"What? Kurt, please tell me you went to someone after this if not Blaine." David sounded exasperated. He didn't expect it to be this bad. How could he? He had no idea what it was like to be different. He lived at Dalton, where everyone was treated exactly the same all the time. There was never any threat of being killed for being who you are.

"I didn't want to bother anyone." Kurt shrank into himself, wrapping his arms around himself as though staving off the cold. He shook, fearful of telling everything and still remembering his nightmare as he spoke. "I didn't know what to do. I left it until my dad's wedding. He…"

David looked really concerned now. "What did he do Kurt?"

"H-He touched me. Just on the chest, and he had this look on his face. I thought he was going to try and kiss me again…or hurt me…or something. He didn't. He just took the wedding topper for the cake. But I've never been so scared in my life." He explained the expulsion and how the school board overruled Principal Sylvester's decision.

David put a hand on Kurt's shoulder and this time, feeling ready for the contact, Kurt didn't jump or flinch away. "Kurt, you're safe now. You're at Dalton. Blaine went through a lot of the same stuff you did and I think he can really help you out. I won't tell him, but I will tell you that you don't have to worry about that guy anymore."

The effeminate boy nodded, but wasn't sure if he truly believed it. "I know I'm safe. I just always feel like he's right behind me. And I keep having these nightmares about the whole thing. But since that time when he…when he touched me…I-I have this fear of him being capable of so much worse…It's ridiculous, I know."

"No Kurt." He looked, startled at David's sudden change in tone. "You're never ridiculous for being afraid. It'll take a while for you to recover from being treated that way every day. I hope you eventually feel safe here at Dalton. Nobody here will let anything happen to you." When Kurt turned to look at himself in the mirror again, David grasped his shoulder. "Come on. Why don't you try to get in a little more sleep before we actually have to get up? Try to relax."

David was kind enough to walk a shaky Kurt back to his door. "Even if you decide not to tell Blaine about this, I'm glad I ran into you this morning. It might have been a moment of weakness that had you telling me everything, but I bet you probably feel a little better after talking about it. Kurt, just know that there's always someone here to talk to, whether it's me or Blaine, Wes or anybody else. Always."

"Thanks David. I'll see you at practice today," Kurt replied before entering his room.

Before he could make it back to his own room, David thought he heard one of the other doors click shut.

* * *

The good news is Evangeline had already taken off her Alexander McQueen double-breasted cashmere coat. The bad news is underneath that Alexander McQueen double-breasted cashmere coat, Evangeline was wearing a white, low-cut blouse.

When the cherry-flavored slushie hit here square in the face, the cold was what registered first. The red ice slid from her face, down her neck and chest making her feel disgusting in a way she never knew before now. The second thing she realized was that her white blouse was completely ruined. "Welcome to glee club, loser!" came the call of one of the football players.

Turning around to run at the guy, Evangeline was stopped only by a pair of arms around her waist, hoisting her up when she struggled to attack the jock. "Evangeline, let it go," Puck said from behind her. Evangeline quit struggling. The jock was already long gone and the adrenaline that would have given Evangeline the strength to take off one of her stilettos and use it to murder was gone with him. "Let's get you cleaned up." He pulled her towards the girl's bathroom and entered with her, locking the door behind him when he noticed nobody else was there with them.

Much like Rachel had once done for him, Puck sat Evangeline down in front of one of the sinks and used paper towels to wipe the sticky substance off of her face while she tried to take care of her chest and shirt. "Look, I appreciate this, Noah, but you don't have to help me," she told him.

Puck shook his head. "I want to. I remember the first time I was slushied. It was grape-flavored and Rachel helped me wash it out of my mohawk. I wouldn't have known what to do."

"Is that before, after or while she was dating Finn?" Evangeline hadn't meant for it to sound as scathing as it did, but the mentioning of Rachel reminded her of how hurt Finn looked when speaking of his ex-girlfriend.

"What?" Puck stopped what he was doing to look down at her. Damn it, she was still so beautiful even when she was glaring up at him like that. Her cheeks were flushed, her greenish-blue eyes focused on nothing but him and her pink lips pursed. Even though her makeup was ruined and there were remnants of red drink on her face, she could bring a man to his knees.

"I heard you have a habit of taking what isn't yours," Evangeline told him.

"Been talking to Finn? Because he has a habit of only telling half of the story," Puck replied.

"Sometimes half of a story is enough. It was enough for me to see that you're a jealous person who will just trample over people to get what you want."

"And what about you? You walk in here in your tiny skirts and your New York City attitude, thinking you're better than all of us Lima losers because you grew up in a penthouse with your rich mummy and daddy and some photographers who told you that you were pretty." He was seething now and he could see that so was she.

Standing up, she faced him head on. "You don't know anything about me. At least I'd never go fucking my best friend's girlfriend!"

"You know what? I don't have to explain myself to you." He stormed out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him, causing Evangeline to jump before covering her face with her hands. What had he meant? Was Finn leaving something out?

Now she had to clean herself up. Turning, she looked in the mirror. Her hair was beginning to grow hard and sticky with bits of cherry syrup. Her shirt was completely ruined. There was no way she would be able to get that stain out. She was going to have to walk around the school like this for the rest of the day too.

A couple minutes later, Rachel and Quinn entered the bathroom, carrying makeup and a football jersey. "Noah sent us," Rachel told her and the two got to work. Within minutes, Evangeline was wearing the football jersey, her hair was back in place and Quinn was finishing up her makeup.

"You know, Puck seemed pretty angry when we ran into him," Quinn told her. "You two have a fight or something?"

Evangeline shook her head. "It's nothing. I just found out certain things about him that surprised me. That's all," she said.

Quinn and Rachel shared a look that said they both knew exactly what Evangeline was talking about. So as they sat her down to help clean up, Quinn started to explain certain details Evangeline might not have known. "When Puck got me pregnant, he wanted to take responsibility for it. He wanted to tell Finn. I wasn't brave enough. He even raised money so I could go to the doctor. And I knew that he loved me when we slept together. That's the only reason why he did it."

"I don't know why you're telling me all of this. It's none of my business," Evangeline told her.

"I want you to have the whole story. Finn is angry, and he has every right to be. But he doesn't tell you certain things. Puck was ready to support me and the baby, but I decided to give her up for adoption. I know it was the right thing to do for both of us."

This changed things a little bit. No, it didn't change the fact that Puck had gotten his best friend's girlfriend pregnant. But he'd loved her. And he wanted to take responsibility for his actions but wasn't given the chance. He tried to do the right thing.

Rachel joined in now. "As for me and Noah, it's true I was trying to get back at Finn for sleeping with Santana. He wouldn't do it though. We made out a little bit, but he said he couldn't do it to Finn again. I'm the one who made the mistake. And now Finn will never forgive me." She shook her head. "Don't be too hard on Noah. He's trying. Anyway, look at whose jersey you're wearing."

Evangeline turned to look at her back in the mirror. Puckerman.

* * *

Entering the choir room, Kurt noticed that the other Warblers stopped to stare at him, as though they'd been talking about him before he arrived. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked nervously.

One of the Warblers, James, was the first to speak up. "Well, we heard back at McKinley you seduced one of the football players. Is it true?"

"W-What? No, of course not."

"I heard you transferred because there aren't any gay guys at McKinley."

"No way! I heard it was because he specifically wanted Blaine."

More and more rumors were piled on him. "Oh yeah? Well, I heard he was in the bathroom with David this morning. Now he's going to turn David gay."

Kurt walked backwards, trying to slip out of the room when he hit something solid. Looking up over his shoulder, he found Blaine, who grasped his shoulders tightly. He was flanked by Wes and David. "What's going on here?" Wes said, quieting down the commotion.

"N-Nothing," they all murmured.

"I'm sure you all know about Dalton's zero-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying. If I find you all harassing Kurt or anyone else again, I'll have no problem reporting you to the headmaster. There were plenty of other talented singers who wanted to be Warblers," Wes threatened.

With that, the boys all got into formation to begin rehearsal without saying another word. "Now, let's start with the numbers for the Christmas Ball. New Directions will be preparing too and we want to look good," David mentioned.

Needless to say, Kurt wasn't much into the singing that afternoon. He couldn't wait for the rehearsal to end so he could run back to him room and hole himself up for hours. Who had told the Warblers all of those lies? Whoever had had known he and David talked in the bathroom that morning. Nobody had been in the stalls of the bathroom or hallway though.

As soon as the rehearsal ended, Kurt jetted out of the choir room. "Kurt! Kurt, wait up!" It was Blaine, struggling to catch up with Kurt's long strides. The feminine boy kept walking, not feeling up to facing Blaine or his courage today. Blaine wouldn't leave well enough alone, however, and grabbed Kurt's upper arm when he caught up. "Kurt, what happened in there?"

"Oh gee, I don't know. Someone just decided to spread rumors about me turning straight men gay and coming here to seduce you. I'm sure there are more that I would have heard had you not arrived," Kurt replied, looking only forward as he continued towards the dorms.

Finally, Blaine pulled Kurt's arm so that the boy was forced to turn and face him. "Kurt, would you stop running and just talk to me?" he asked. When the boy didn't move or say anything, Blaine continued. "Why do you think someone would want to spread rumors about you?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know. I guess there's someone that doesn't like me. It doesn't matter, Blaine. Can I please go hide in my room now? I've had enough today," he said exasperated with everything that had happened.

Letting go of Kurt, Blaine nodded but looked disappointed. "Sure, Kurt. Just…if you want to talk about anything, just let me know," he said, walking away. Kurt felt his heart ache as he watched the older Warbler turn away from him. But he meant what he'd said. He had enough. Now free, he rushed to return to his dorm room and locked the door behind him.

His first thoughts were to contact either Mercedes or Evangeline. One of them would be able to comfort him. But the minute he signed onto Facebook, only one newsfeed item could catch his attention: Mercedes Jones tagged Noah Puckerman and Evangeline Anne Hummel in a video.

* * *

_Damn_, Puck thought as he walked into the choir room to find Evangeline readying her violin, running the rosin over her bow to ensure smooth, accurate playing. The blonde looked attractive enough this morning. Now that she was wearing his football jersey, which hung casually off of one shoulder, skinny jeans and black stilettos, Puck couldn't deny that he wanted nothing more than to forget their altercation and have angry, sweaty sex right on top of the piano. He wouldn't have even cared that the other glee-clubbers were there.

"Who wants to go first today?" Mr. Schuester asked.

"I will, Mr. Schue," Puck spoke up. He walked up to Evangeline and handed her a piece of sheet music. Her eyes met his before she reached out and accepted the papers, glancing to see what song she would be playing. She knew it well enough and readied herself. Puck counted off and she went into the intro of All American Rejects' "Can't Take It," a song which relied heavily on violin accompaniment. Then Puck began singing, but he wasn't singing to the glee club. He was singing to Evangeline.

_You speak to me_

_I know this will be temporary_

_You ask to leave_

_But I can tell you that I've had enough_

_I can't take it_

_This welcome is gone_

_And I've waited long enough to make it_

_And if you're so strong_

_You might as well just do it alone_

_And I'll watch you go_

Evangeline looked right back at him, not intimidated as she continued to play. She didn't give off the fact that she was completely confused about who this person really was. Quinn and Rachel certainly thought highly enough of him to defend him. But Puck was known to be a player. Though Evangeline had had her fair share of players, she couldn't risk getting too close to another one again. Not after last time.

_Step up to me_

_I know that you've got something buried_

_I'll set you free_

_You set conditions but I've had enough_

_I can't take it_

_This welcome is gone_

_And I've waited long enough to make it_

_And if you're so strong_

_You might as well just do it alone_

_And I'll watch you go_

Though Kurt would normally be enraptured by such a performance, all he could think about was the way he'd just treated Blaine. He'd been there for Kurt and instead of confiding in him entirely, Kurt tried to deal with everything by himself. But he couldn't involve Blaine anymore than he'd already had. Karofsky threatened to kill him if he told anyone and he'd already told Blaine about the kiss. He couldn't let Karofsky target Blaine.

He shook his head, thrusting thoughts of Blaine from his mind, and looked back at the screen. It was amazing just how connected the two performers looked. Then he started noticing certain details. Why was Evangeline wearing a football jersey? Was that Puck's? Were they dating? Kurt blinked a couple of times before trying to comprehend the fact that his cousin was having eye-sex with Noah Puckerman throughout most of the video. Really angry eye-sex.

_Come back home, won't you come back home?_

_You step in line, you've got a lot to prove_

_It comes and goes, yeah, it comes and goes_

_Step in time, yeah, it's a lot to move_

_I know this will be temporary_

_I know this will be temporary_

_I know this will be_

_But I've had enough_

_I can't take it_

_This welcome is gone_

_And I've waited long enough to make it_

_And if you're so strong_

_You might as well just do it alone_

_And I'll watch you go_

_I can't take it_

_This welcome is gone_

_And I've waited long enough to make it_

_And if you're so strong_

_You might as well just do it alone_

_And I'll watch you go_

When the song ended, everyone applauded, and Evangeline and Puck finally looked away from one another to go their separate ways.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** tagged** Evangeline Anne Hummel **and **Noah Puckerman** in a video.

**Santana Lopez**, **Artie Abrams** and **57 others** like this.

**Santana Lopez:** Hot

**Kurt Hummel**, **Wes Richter** and **13 others** like this.

**Sam Evans**: Mr. Schue looked like his eyes were gonna fall out of their sockets.

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: I thought mine might.

**Rachel Berry**: Thank you, Mercedes, for posting more videos. I think it will be fruitful to have New Directions up on Facebook.

**Quinn Fabray**: Shut up, Rachel.

**Kurt Hummel**, **Santana Lopez** and **23 others** like this.

**Wes Richter**: Marry me, Evangeline.

**David Thompson**: You have a girlfriend, remember?

**Kurt Hummel**: Wes! Stop hitting on my cousin!

**Wes Richter**: I wasn't hitting on her. I was proposing, which suggests I intent to be completely honorable.

**David Thompson**: By proposing to her when you have a girlfriend?

**Kurt Hummel**, **Blaine Anderson** and **21 others** like this.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** isn't sure about anything…

**Kurt Hummel**: What's the matter, BB?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I'll call you.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel **to** Blaine Anderson**: I'm sorry about today. Let me make it up to you?

**Blaine Anderson**, **Santana Lopez** and **40 others** like this.

**Santana Lopez**: Wanky wanky ;D

**Blaine Anderson** likes this.

**Kurt Hummel**: Stalk much?

**Santana Lopez**: You bet your sweet, man-loving ass, Porcelain. Watching you two facebook flirt gives me hours of endless entertainment.

**Kurt Hummel**: I hate you.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Criss**: **Kurt Hummel** always knows exactly what to say to cheer me up.

**Kurt Hummel** likes this.

* * *

**Noah Puckerman**: I can't take this.


	4. Don't Tell Mama

**A/N:** The song in this chapter is Don't Tell Mama from Cabaret. This is a more Evangeline-centric chapter. The next will be more Kurt-centric. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 4:** Don't Tell Mama

The weekend came as a godsend for the glee club. Everyone was frayed after the long week. Rachel and Finn were still not exactly talking. Well, Finn wasn't talking to her. Rachel was doing more than enough talking for the both of them. But no matter what she said to Finn, he wouldn't take her back, wouldn't forgive her for her indiscretion.

Meanwhile, Quinn and Sam were having spats due to a Facebook comment about a Rosemary's Baby haircut, which Quinn took to mean that she'd had the devil's baby when she gave birth to Beth. Of course, nobody meant that, but they understood that Quinn was still bent out of shape after giving up her baby for adoption. Sam, however, who hadn't been around for the whole ordeal, didn't quite see how much it had affected her.

Tina and Mike were still having Asian relationship problems, though Tina would be pleased to be having just normal relationship problems. She wanted nothing more than to have a couple of dates that didn't include either of their parents or chicken feet.

Brittany and Artie had their own issues. The blonde didn't understand why Artie wasn't more participatory in their sexual activities. She thought it meant he wasn't interested like she was. He had to explain to her on multiple occasions that he couldn't physically move without her help.

At Dalton, Kurt was busy avoiding everyone except for Blaine, David and Wes. The Warblers had stopped asking him about all of the rumors, but he still felt awkward being around them, knowing they were thinking all of these awful things about him. They still had yet to figure out who had started passing around all of the lies. Kurt found, however, that when he was with Blaine, he didn't care so much about all of that. Despite this, he decided it was high time for a weekend in Lima to see his family and friends.

Evangeline and Puck hadn't spoken since their altercation in the bathroom and hadn't looked at one another since they're performance in glee club. Neither of them wanted to admit that they'd jumped to conclusions about the other based on second hand stories and appearances. So they ignored one another.

Needless to say, Evangeline was relieved to wake up Saturday morning and find that she didn't have to get dressed or style her short locks or make herself beautiful, for nobody would see her today. She would spend the day opening unpacked boxes, going for a run, and completely homework. At night, she would curl up on the new sofa in her living room and watch a marathon of tear-jerking movies.

Well, at least, that's what she planned for the night. The day had gone quite as she planned actually. By the time she was finished, her house looked fully furnished, though she knew at one point, she would have to paint the walls to keep them from looking so bare. But the furniture was all placed and there were some photos on the wall. It looked like a home, as long as she didn't enter that master bedroom to find it completely empty.

She was just about to sit down when she heard the doorbell ring. Feeling grumpy and in need of her solitude, she marched over to the door, ready to tell whoever was there to scram. But when she opened the door to find Kurt and the female glee-clubbers standing there with sleeping bags and pillows, she welcomed them in happily, hugging Kurt tightly. "What are you all doing here?" she asked, still latched onto her cousin, who seemed equally in need of her affection.

"Dad told me that Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Simon were still in New York and that you were here all by yourself. I figured since I was planning on coming home, we ought to have a sleepover. These girls volunteered themselves to be your welcoming committee," he explained as Rachel, Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Tina and Mercedes all filed into the living room.

"Aw, thanks, you guys. What did you have in mind for tonight?"

Makeovers were first. Kurt and Evangeline were in charge of that. "Who goes first?" Quinn asked.

"Rachel," Kurt and Evangeline replied at the same time, knowing the girl was always in need of some fashion help. As they worked on sculpting her hair and face into works of beauty, the other girls began to understand how similar both Evangeline and Kurt were. In fact, they believed if one switched genders, they would be twins.

They worked on everyone until Kurt got to Evangeline. She hadn't put any makeup on yet, so she was glad for the opportunity to see how Kurt's skills had evolved since they'd last given each other makeovers. "Eve, how's your modeling career going? I was surprised when you decided to move here…so far away from your work."

Evangeline shrugged as Kurt applied eyeliner. "I thought I'd take a break from all that. It's tiring after a while," she replied nonchalantly. "I'm glad to be focusing more on my studies and music. I missed my violin."

"I bet it's a lot of fun having pictures taken of you," Tina offered.

"It is. But it gets old after a while. And it doesn't last. After you get old, you have to find something else to do in the industry, and I don't think I can cut it as a manager or a designer. I just think maybe it's not what I'm supposed to be doing with my life," she explained.

"When are Aunt and Uncle coming to Lima?"

"E-Er…they're not."

Kurt pulled back and looked at Evangeline, the rest of the girls peering over at them at the news that Evangeline's parents wouldn't be joining her in Lima. "What do you mean, they're not?" Rachel asked. "Are you living in this house all by yourself?"

Evangeline nodded. "I didn't want to tell Uncle Burt because I knew it'd upset him. I just got myself emancipated. I wanted to move here to get away from…to get away from modeling and to see you, Kurt, and they refused to let me go. Then I found out it's because they're using all of my money for their finer things. So I got myself a lawyer, went to court, sued them for the money they took from me and got myself emancipated. Now I'm legally an adult and live out here by myself." She paused for a moment to gauge Kurt's reaction. He looked pretty shocked. "I know I should have told you and Uncle Burt sooner, but I didn't want to upset either of you."

The only thing Kurt could do was hug Evangeline tightly. "You know you don't have to live by yourself, right? You could live with us, with me and Dad and Finn and Carole."

Evangeline shook her head. "I already bought the house. It's okay. I don't mind living alone. I know now that I have a whole bunch of friends to see when I get lonely," she replied looking to the other girls with a smile on her face.

"Of course!" Rachel said. "Now, enough of these hum drum revelations. I think it's time we start the karaoke portion of the sleepover."

"I have no idea what she just said," Brittany whispered to Santana, who waved her off.

Kurt and Evangeline looked at each other, shared an inside joke and chucked.

"What? You two hiding something?" Mercedes asked.

"Well…when Kurt and I were a little younger, we used to do karaoke together all the time. And we were always into musical theater. Without knowing exactly what we were singing, we may or may not have sung the entire soundtrack to Cabaret. Then one day we realized what certain things meant." The two were both laughing now.

Quinn's face lit up. "I have an idea. We're all having certain…guy issues at the moment. I think we should tape ourselves singing something sexy and put it up to show them what they're missing out on."

"I-I don't know. My mom is on Facebook, you know," Tina mentioned. "I wouldn't want her to see anything too…indecent."

Kurt smiled. "We'll set it so none of our parents can see. And we'll title it, 'Don't tell Mama,'" he said with grin. The girls giggled and agreed. "It has to be hot, like 'Push It' hot." So they got to work. Evangeline looked for her sexiest, frilliest, laciest lingerie and nighties and the girls quickly changed.

They formed a group with Kurt and Evangeline in the front, Quinn, Brittany and Santana in the second row and Rachel, Tina and Mercedes in the back. Kurt started:

_Mama_

_Thinks I'm living in a convent_

_A secluded little convent_

_In the southern part of France.  
_

Evangeline took over now.

_Mama_

_Doesn't even have an inkling_

_That I'm working in a nightclub_

_In a pair of lacy pants.  
_

As she recited this last line, she bent over to reveal a pair of black lace panties. She straightened up only after Brittany smacked her on the bottom and gave the camera a coy look. All of the girls joined in now.

_So please sir_

_If you run into my mama_

_Don't reveal my indiscretion_

_Give a working girl a chance.  
_

"Guys, guys, look. The girls put up a video on Facebook," Mike said, sitting on Finn's bed. After finding out that Kurt and the glee girls were spending the night at Evangeline's, Finn thought it only fitting that he should have a glee guys night too. It wasn't a sleepover. They were just going to hang out…all night…and probably have breakfast once they were done hanging out.

So Puck, Finn, Artie and Sam all piled up to stare at Mike's computer screen. "Oh sweet lord," Artie said as the video started to play.

_Hush up_

_Don't tell Mama_

_Shush up_

_Don't tell Mama_

_Don't tell Mama_

_Whatever you do._

_If you_

_Had a secret_

_You bet_

_I would keep it_

_I would never_

_Tell on you_

_I'm breaking every promise_

_That I gave her_

_So won't you kindly do a girl_

_A great big favor_

_So please my sweet potater_

_Keep this from the mater_

_Though my dance is not_

_Against the law._

Santana stepped up between Evangeline and Kurt and said:

_You can tell my Papa, that's alright_

_Cuz he comes in here every night.  
_

The others all joined in now.

_But don't tell Mama_

_What you saw  
_

The boys didn't know what to do with themselves as they watched the girls shimmy and shake with one another. Puck merely groaned and covered his face in his hands. Why was Evangeline so hot? Even though they were still mad at one another, he wanted her so badly. He'd wanted her the very day of their fight, remembering a certain fantasy he had involving the choir room piano and some exhibitionism.

Sam could hardly look at Quinn, knowing that she wasn't ready to have sex with him. It wasn't fair of her to be so sexy when he couldn't touch her. But he loved her, and he would wait for her, for when she was ready. Still, his eyes lingered on her thin form, her teddy-covered torso and her beautiful face. She had to be doing this to punish him.

Poor Finn was struggling to remind himself of the reasons he broke up with Rachel. She had cheated on him with the same guy as Quinn. She had cheated on him…period. And then there was Santana. He could definitely remember why he'd slept with her. She was hot. So was Rachel in a different way. Before she'd cheated, he'd thought she was sexy for her ambition and her love. Santana was just pure sex.

All of the boys were struggling with themselves by the end when all of the girls leaned forward and said:

_If you see my mummy_

_Mums the word  
_

The girls giggled and cheered before the video ended, leaving all males trembling in its wake. Looking at the clock to see that it was nearing midnight, Finn made a decision. "We're going over there. Now."

They didn't know what they were going to do when they got to Evangeline's house, but they all loaded into Finn's car (taking careful heed of Artie as they buckled him into the passenger seat and stashed his chair in the trunk). It didn't matter what they were going to do. They just needed to go, needed to see the girls who had put up that video.

When Evangeline opened the door to find the boy gaping in, she was wearing a thin, black, cotton robe and Puck knew what was underneath. He knew that if he ripped that thin material off, there'd be lace and garters and stockings. "Boys, what are you doing here?" she asked, feigning surprise at their appearance. When they didn't answer, she called into the house, "Ladies, we have company," before ushering in the boys.

Kurt, now dressed in his normal pajamas, laughed at the image of the males staring with tongues practically hanging out of their mouths. Vaguely, he wished Blaine were there. The sudden thought startled him for a moment. Would Blaine see the video? Would he like it? Oh, why did he even care? As if on cue, his phone vibrated with a text message from the other Warbler.

_Looks like your sleepover is going well._

Kurt smiled at the message before replying,

_Yes, well, Evangeline brings out the crazy in me._

He waited eagerly for Blaine's reply. Even though their conversation was nothing but friendly, the buzzing of his phone had him jumping.

_I can see that. Can't wait to meet this lady who turns you into such a vixen._

Kurt smirked.

_You liked our video then?_

The response:

_More than liked it ;)_

"Kurt, who are you texting with that look on your face?" Rachel sidled down next to Kurt, having felt awkward about Finn's presence. She smiled, happy that Kurt had someone to make that smile for.

Blushing, Kurt shook his head. "Oh, nobody. Why aren't you nestling up to Finn?" he asked her. Looking around, he saw that Finn was chatting with Santana. Were they sleeping together again? It was none of his business, but Kurt knew his stepbrother still had feelings for the bossy brunette next to him.

Rachel looked down at her lap. "I've ruined everything. It's time to leave him alone, even if we are meant to be together. Nothing I say will convince him that I would never make the same mistake again. You know?"

Kurt nodded, feeling sorry for her for once. She'd made a stupid mistake, no doubt. But she really did love Finn. What a drama! "Maybe you're right. Give it some time, Rachel. He might come around."

The girl smiled, but decided it was time to get back to their original subject. "So who is it who's caught your fancy?" she asked.

"His name is Blaine," Evangeline interjected, sitting down on the other side of Kurt. She was avoiding Puck just as Rachel was avoiding Finn. "And Kurt's been gushing about him ever since I became friends with him on Facebook."

"Evangeline!" The feminine boy blushed.

Rachel recognized the name from her Facebook friends as well. "Ah! Blaine, huh? He was the one who sang at sectionals. I'm sure we'll finally get to meet him in person at the Christmas Ball. We'll have to decide then if he's good enough for our Kurt."

"Agreed," Evangeline said with a grin. "But from the way these two have flirting all over Facebook, things are looking up." Kurt playfully hit her in the shoulder.

It was Kurt who saw Noah Puckerman making his way toward them. Remembering the video of Evangeline and Puck, he thought it imminent that he have a word with the jock. "Excuse me, ladies," he said, leaving Rachel and Evangeline as he pulled Puck away. Seeing them walk off, Evangeline moved closer to Rachel, glad that Kurt had diverted Puck.

"You two haven't made up?" Rachel asked.

"No, I've been avoiding him all week. I guess we both said things that we shouldn't have. It doesn't matter. It's not like we're friends or anything like that. We can be peaceful acquaintances," she replied.

Rachel gave her a pointed look that said she knew she was full of shit. "Eve, be honest. I told you about me and Puck, about me and Finn and the horrible mistake I've made. You can at least admit that you and Puck are into each other."

The blonde looked at Rachel before sighing. "Alright, I know he's hot. And I know I'm hot," she said with a laugh when Rachel hit her arm lightly. "And we'd be hot together. But I don't think I could handle a hookup right now. I don't think I could handle any kind of relationship right now. I was with someone a lot like Puck not too far back and it turned into something awful."

Rachel looked concerned now. Her impression of Evangeline had been that of a confident, independent, young woman who had everything under control, who got everything she wanted and who knew exactly what that was. The idea that she'd been in a bad relationship would have never crossed Rachel's mind. "What happened?"

Evangeline shook her head. "Nothing worth talking about. He just got a little jealous and possessive," she explained.

Their chat was interrupted by whoops and cheers as Tina and Mike started making out. "Get it, Team Asian!" Santana called from her spot next to Finn.

Rachel laughed. "I wish everything could be fixed all neat and tidy like that," she said and Evangeline knew immediately what she was thinking about.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, there is nothing neat and tidy about that," she said with a giggle at the two teens. "I know what you mean though." And the two remained silent for a moment. Evangeline was glad that everything that happened tonight happened. She knew she had friends in these girls who had come to visit her, even Rachel, who she wasn't quite sure about originally.

Eventually everything calmed down. The couples were snuggled up in blankets and sleeping bags all over the living room, beginning to doze off. Those who were single went it alone. Evangeline remained awake and found herself in the kitchen with a cup of tea, staring out the window as it began to snow. It had been a while since she talked about her ex, the man who drove her away from New York City. She thought about him all the time.

A hand on her shoulder startled her, and she turned to find Noah standing right behind her. "What are you doing up?" she asked, avoiding his eyes. They were dangerous, those orbs of green and brown…

"Just couldn't sleep…and I noticed that you weren't with everyone else—"

"Do you want some tea? I have caffeine-free if you don't want to be awake for the rest of the night," she offered, walking towards the teapot to pour another cup.

"No, Evangeline, quit it. Can't we just talk? I know we've been avoiding each other all week, but it has to stop," he said, holding her by the shoulders.

Finally, she looked at him. "I-I don't know. I think we said enough, don't you?"

"No, we didn't. Look, Kurt told me about your parents."

"W-What? That's none of your business. I don't know why he told you or what else you two talked about, but it doesn't matter," she replied, pulling away from his grasp. Puck's touch reminded her of him. Of him.

"Why didn't you tell me when I said…what I said?"

"The same reason you didn't tell me that you were in love with Quinn. You think I want your pity? No. You don't want mine either. A-And maybe I thought I was better off with you think I was some rich brat. It isn't very far from the truth anyway," she added. She was rich, but it was by her own merit that she became so.

"And why's that?"

He was going to force her to say it. "Because I'm scared. You remind me of someone…someone bad. And when Finn told me what he told me about you…it sounded so much like him. Jealous and so entitled to everything."

That wasn't what Noah had expected. She was scared of him? And he couldn't help but wonder about this guy he was apparently so much like. "I don't know what this other guy did to you, but I'd never go out of my way to hurt anyone. Well, not anymore. When I do, it's usually by mistake. I mean, yeah, sleeping with Quinn wasn't a great idea, especially when I got her pregnant. But I loved her and I was so tired of Finn getting everything I wanted. I was a douche. That's why I couldn't go through with it the second time. I didn't want to be that guy again."

Evangeline turned away from him to look out the window again. "You really don't have to explain. I was wrong to jump to conclusions. So were you. We're fine now, right?" she asked.

The dismissal was clear in her voice, but Puck wasn't satisfied. "No. I mean, yeah, we're fine. But I wanted to explain. And, you know, it's no secret that we're attracted to each other. Our duet the other day wasn't exactly neutral."

"I can't, Noah."

"Try." He spun her so that she faced him again, his hands on her shoulders once more. She looked up at him through dark lashes with those blue eyes, and before she could say anything, his lips descended onto hers. It started out gentle until Evangeline melted into him, her hands traveling up his strong chest before her arms linked around his neck. Their kiss deepened and soon became a clash of lips, tongues and teeth. Evangeline found that she didn't mind when her robe was opened to reveal the black bra and panties along with the matching garters. It was only when she felt his hands on her stomach that she pushed him away and re-belted the robe.

When he saw that her face had gone completely pale and that her body trembled, he grew concerned. "I-I'm sorry, but I can't. Not yet, not now," she told him, hugging the robe to herself.

"This guy did something pretty bad to you then?" He watched as Evangeline sank into one of the chairs around the kitchen table.

"I don't want to talk about it. It was bad enough, okay? It was why I wanted to leave New York. My parents didn't listen to me when I told them about it. They wanted me to stay and continue to model. They didn't care that h-he was…" She turned away before finishing the sentence.

Puck sat down in the chair next to hers. "Evangeline, I want you to know that I actually really like you a lot. You probably think I'm looking for a one-night-stand. Usually, I am. I saw the way you handled Karofsky and how you wanted to run after that guy who threw the slushie in your face and I thought that was really awesome. You're badass. And you're a talented musician. So I'm willing to take my time. I've never done this whole dating thing before, so you have to tell me if I do something wrong or if I'm moving too quickly. But I want to start small."

"Noah, what are you talking about? I'm completely fucked up. I have baggage," she told him, burying her face in her hands.

He pulled her hands away to make her tear-filled eyes focus on him. "You're not fucked up. Someone might have fucked with you, but you're going to be fine. So this is what's going to happen. I'm going to take you to this Christmas Ball. We're going to have a nice night. I'm going to drop you off here, and if I do well, I'll get a goodnight kiss. Then we'll go our separate ways until I work up enough courage to ask you on a second date."

Evangeline laughed and smiled through her tears, grasping onto his hands with her own. "Alright, Noah. I'll try. I'll go to the Christmas Ball with you and we'll see what happens," she said. "Oh, Noah? Would you mind not telling Kurt what I told you about my ex? He doesn't know anything about it."

Puck hesitated before nodding. "Sure."

They returned to the living room, emotionally and physically exhausted from the late night, and set up their blankets next to one another. They didn't touch, but as they fell asleep, they faced one another.

And when Puck woke up in the morning, she was the first thing he saw.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** tagged herself, **Evangeline Anne Hummel**, **Kurt Hummel**, **Rachael Berry**, **Quinn Fabray**, **Brittany S. Pierce**, **Santana Lopez** and **Tina Cohen-Chang** in a video.

**Noah Puckerman**, **Blaine Anderson** and **257 others** like this.

**Wes Richter:** Oh Lord, why do you do this to me?

**David Thompson:** Yeah, and now we have to deal with Blaine gabbing about this video over and over again.

**Wes Richter:** 'The way he moves is so hypnotizing!'

**David Thompson:** 'He's so sexy.'

**Wes Richter:** 'Oh wow, look at his arms.'

**Santana Lopez**, **Evangeline Anne Hummel** and** 54 others **like this.

**Blaine Anderson:** Guys, quit it!

**Noah Puckerman:** Get it, Hummel!

**Wes Richter**, **David Thompson** and **73 others** like this.

**Kurt Hummel:** Guysssss…

**Sam Evans:** This was so not fair.

**Artie Abrams**, **Finn Hudson** and **4 others** like this.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Not fair? And here we thought we were giving you such a nice gift.

**Quinn Fabray**, **Santana Lopez** and **217 others** like this.

**Artie Abrams:** Well, it was pretty awesome. Thanks for a great party afterwards, Evangeline.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Thank the other ladies. They surprised me. ;)

**Noah Puckerman:** I will praise whoever is responsible for this being made.

**Wes Richter**, **Sam Evans** and **312 others** like this.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** to **Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Saw you and someone else getting pretty intimate in the kitchen last night.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Kurt!

**Kurt Hummel:** What? I was on my way to the bathroom. I only saw you guys making out.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Well, if you see my mummy, mums the word. ;)

**Kurt Hummel** and **Noah Puckerman** like this.


	5. I'm Your Man

**A/N:** The song in this chapter is I'm Your Man by Michael Buble. I hope this is enough Kurt/Blaine fluff to tide us over until the return of Glee. Also, I'm changing the rating from T to M because things get a little crazy after this chapter. Thank you to those who continue to read. Please send in reviews! I'm in desperate need of them! Thanks in advance!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 5:** I'm Your Man

"Oh crap, where's my broach?" Kurt gasped as he searched around the room.

"Did you leave it on your desk?" Evangeline asked, her voice coming from Kurt's laptop. The two were on Skype as they each got ready for the Christmas Ball, which would occur in just a couple of hours.

"Ah, there it is. Thanks, Eve," he replied, clutching the broach to his chest.

"Calm down there, Porcelain," came Santana's voice. "Unless you and Curly Q are getting it on tonight…"

"Santana!" Kurt shrieked. "Why are all the girls at your house again?" he asked Evangeline, who was looking into a mirror behind her computer as she applied her makeup.

"We decided it would be fun to get ready together, which is why you and I are now skyping. The guys are picking us up here. Finn and Noah are driving us all there," she replied while putting on some mascara.

"Noah, huh?" Kurt asked with a grin as he started applying his own makeup. "So this is the big first date then?"

"It's not a date."

"Yeah, okay," Santana interrupted. "You're just going to go to the Christmas Ball together, sing together, slow dance and make out, but it's not a date."

"Santana, you're okay with this?" Quinn asked from somewhere in the background, remembering the battle that waged between her and Mercedes way back when.

The other girl shrugged. "Please…I can easily find another guy to sleep with," she replied, and it was true. She was planning on snagging a prep boy.

"Or another girl," Brittany offered. Santana only gave her a nod. The girls were all quite used to hearing about Brittany and Santana's past adventures, so it didn't faze them so much to consider Santana sleeping with another girl.

Rachel walked into the room, wearing what Santana would later refer to as "the first dress I've ever ripped off of a girl to save her social life and not to have sex with her." Needless to say, Evangeline quickly went into her closet to find something more suitable. She ended up with a Chloe mini-dress that was a champagne color with a thin white belt around the waist and three-quarter sleeves. "This is Chloe? I can't wear this," Rachel said, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Why not? I'm going in my Oscar dress," Evangeline said, gesturing down to the emerald green Oscar de la Renta dress she was wearing. It was strapless and tight, extenuating all of her curves, and it had a peacock bustle, a growing trend in fashion. She paired it with a white rabbit stole, sheer black stockings and black heels.

Kurt sighed from the opposite side of the screen. "Eve, how much did that cost?"

"Calm down, cousin. I got it on sale for thirteen-hundred. What about you, Mr. Alexander McQueen wool blend pinstripe jacket with matching trousers?" she asked cheekily.

"I shop the sales."

Evangeline would have chided him about his lack of an answer, but the doorbell rang and the girls began squealing excitedly. The boys had arrived. Evangeline had to admit, she was a little nervous. She and Puck had shared glances throughout the week and had spoken about the Christmas Ball, but now it was actually here. Their first…date. "Alright, Kurt. The boys are here so we'll see you soon," she said before shutting down the computer.

Walking through the house, Evangeline made it to the front door and opened it to see all of the boys all dressed up and ready to go. "Well, don't you guys look dapper?" she asked as she let them in. Then Noah walked in. Oh God. He looked…_good_. Evangeline usually found him irresistible in his own casual-wear, but in formal attire…she could barely maintain control over her facial expressions. She had to remain calm. "You certainly clean up well," she said to him, placing a hand on his lapel.

"So I've been told. You look…perfect," he said, a smile on his face.

Then they were aware that all of the boys were watching the pair. Coughing and pulling away, Evangeline face them all. "You should see the other ladies. We've been getting ready for some time now." She ushered the boys into the living room where all the girls were finishing up.

The couples immediately gravitated towards one another, Sam heading towards Quinn, Mike to Tina and Brittany to Artie. Then there was Finn and Rachel. They glanced at one another before Finn uttered a low, "You look really nice," and walked away. Evangeline noted this whole exchange and smiled, knowing she would have to discuss with Kurt before taking any measures to reunite the two.

"You all look great, but will you be able to perform in these dresses?" Artie asked.

"Oh yeah, we're not doing any intense dancing," Mercedes replied. "I can't wait to show those Warblers what we got."

New Directions had practiced all week on a couple of numbers, knowing the Warblers would have more than one performance up their uniformed sleeves. They'd decided on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" performed by the girls, "Jingle Bells" performed by the boys and "Deck the Halls/Up on the Rooftop" for the entire group together.

"Alright, well, we should get going then. It's an hour drive," Finn suggested. So the group split up. Quinn, Sam, Brittany, Artie and Santana got into Finn's car, while Evangeline, Mike, Tina, Mercedes and Rachel climbed into Puck's truck. Noah politely helped Evangeline into the passenger seat, before taking the driver's seat and starting the car. It would be a ride full of nervous glances.

* * *

Kurt was almost ready. If only his heart would slow down for a moment. He was excited for so many reasons. All of his friends were coming, he'd get to see them perform again and then there was Blaine. He'd seen Blaine out of his uniform many times, usually on weekends. But to see Blaine in formal attire that wasn't a Dalton uniform…it was going to be extremely difficult to keep his composure. This past week was difficult enough as it is. There were times when he thought he saw Blaine glancing at him, but wasn't quite sure. And then sometimes it seemed like the boy was avoiding him, looking flustered every time they accidentally met in the hallway.

When a knock came at the door, Kurt jumped and nearly screamed. "Kurt?" It was Blaine. Of course, it was Blaine.

"Yeah! Hold on a minute," Kurt replied, tripping over himself to get to the door and yank it open. And there he was. Blaine, wearing all black, a black suit, black shirt, black tie. It was hot. He was hot. Kurt had to concentrate on speaking in order to keep from saying complete nonsense words. "W-Wow, you look great!" he said.

Blaine shifted in the doorway and smiled a nervous smile. "Thanks, so do you." There was an awkward silence between them until Blaine remembered just why he had come to Kurt's room. "Oh! Uh, the Warblers are meeting in a couple of minutes. We have to be ready to show your New Directions friends, right?" His smile became a little more confident now.

"Right. Let's go then," Kurt replied and they were off.

* * *

The Dalton Academy ballroom was decorated in red, green, white and gold. The large room housed what must have been hundreds of couples dancing across the floor. It was enough to make any girl feel like a princess. Everything was lavish and beautiful. It left the New Directions glee clubbers completely silent.

That is, until they had to sing. The performances all went off without a hitch. The Warblers sang Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Hallelujah. Every female in the house (along with every homosexual male) was glued to Blaine as he sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Even the female glee-clubbers, who knew the guy was gay and practically betrothed to their Kurt, found themselves caught up in his voice.

Finally, after all of the singing was through, New Directions and the Dalton Academy Warblers got to mingle. "It's so great to finally meet all of you. I've seen so much of you on Facebook," Blaine said.

"You're taking good care of our boy?" Mercedes asked.

Blaine looked over at Kurt, who stood beside him. "Of course," he replied.

Any cuteness of the moment was ruined when one Wes Richter presented himself to the group. "You must be Evangeline," he said, kneeling to kiss her hand before rising again. When she looked over at her date, he looked pretty livid. "I knew you'd come! I'm Wes."

She laughed. "It's nice to meet you, Wes. This is my date, Noah." Everyone laughed when Wes took one look at Puck before retreating.

"Sorry about him," David said, stepping up. "His girlfriend should be here any minute to keep him in line. Anyway, he's harmless."

"Well, now that we've all met, why don't we dance," Kurt suggested, not sure if he was extremely happy or mortified by the interactions between his former teammates and the Warblers. The others agreed and soon they were all on the dance floor. The orchestra played some waltzes in between the band's jazzy tunes that had Brittany and Mike showing off their moves.

When a slow dance Puck pulled Evangeline close and they swayed. She looked over his shoulder to see that Kurt and Blaine were in the same position. Dancing cheek to cheek. Brittany was sitting in Artie's lap as he wheeled back and forth. Tina and Mike were sharing Asian kisses while Quinn and Sam snuggled. Kurt looked around to find Mercedes and David dancing and talking. That could be interesting. Finn was with Santana.

At the same time, Evangeline and Kurt zeroed in on Rachel who wasn't on the dance floor, but sitting at one of the tables by herself. The cousins sought each other's eyes and silently agreed that they had to do something. They finished dancing through the song and each pulled their respective partner off of the floor, the four of the meeting off to the side. "We have to get Rachel and Finn together," Kurt said to Evangeline.

"I was thinking the same thing…" she replied.

"Why? It's none of our business. Can't we just find someone else for her to dance with?" Puck asked. "I mean, Finn's pretty mad still."

"But they want to be together. I know he misses her and she obviously misses him. Maybe if we give them just a little shove…" Evangeline paused to think. "Noah, the next romantic song that comes on, you start dancing with Rachel, okay?"

"What?" all three others asked, startled at the suggestion.

"Blaine, would it be too much to ask you to sing something in your lovely crooner voice?" she questioned.

The Warbler smiled. "Well, I actually planned to sing something. I think it'll work well," he replied.

"What are you singing? Why didn't you tell me?" Kurt asked.

"It's a surprise. You'll just have to wait and see," Blaine replied, winking.

"Okay, so we've got that," Evangeline said, smiling. "Noah will go coax Rachel into dancing. I'll ask Finn to share a dance with me. Make sure we're close together so we can maneuver the switch."

"Ooh, like in 'White Christmas' with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney," Kurt said, getting the idea. "Wait, didn't that not work in that movie?"

"No, but it'll work tonight."

"And what am I to do?" Kurt asked.

"Nothing," Blaine and Evangeline said at the same time before looking at one another. Blaine continued, "Just listen to the song okay?"

The plan was quickly put into action, Puck making his way over to Rachel as Evangeline crossed the dance floor towards Finn and Santana. "Mind if I cut in?" she asked. Santana seemed to hesitate before walking off. Finn accepted Evangeline's offer to dance.

She was just about to say something when Blaine took the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't mind I'd like to dedicate this next song to someone very special," he said, a grin on his face as the music started.

_If you want a lover_

_I'll do anything you ask me to_

_If you want another kind of love_

_I'll wear a mask for you_

_If you want a partner_

_Take my hand_

_Or if you want to strike me down in anger_

_Here I stand_

_I'm your man_

Evangeline caught Puck's eye as he and Rachel danced towards them on the dance floor. "Oh great, she's dancing with _him_," Finn said, annoyed. Ooh…they hadn't exactly thought of that. "You think she's trying to make me jealous again?"

"What? No. I think she's just starting to give up on you since she knows you'll never forgive her," Evangeline said. Yes, make him think she was getting over him. That'll bother him. She could tell by the disgruntled look on his face that it did. Good. That meant he still wanted Rachel in some fashion.

Meanwhile, Kurt didn't even watch what was going on between his friends on the dance floor. He only had eyes for Blaine as he sang. And for a moment, he imagined that the song was for him. Could it be? Blaine had told him to listen. And he was. There was nothing else he could hear.

_If you want a boxer_

_I will step into the ring for you_

_And if you want a doctor_

_I'll examine every inch of you_

_If you want a driver_

_Climb inside_

_Or if you want to take me for a ride_

_You know you can_

_I'm your man_

Everything was going according to plan. Puck and Rachel were nearing the two of them and as soon as they were close enough, Evangeline saw Rachel smile when Puck excused himself. When he took Evangeline's hand, Finn and Rachel were left to look at one another until Finn put his arms up in a questioning gesture as to whether or not she wanted to dance. Smiling, she accepted and they were off.

"Noah, you were brilliant," Evangeline said, holding him close. She could see Kurt from over Puck's shoulder as well as Mercedes walking over to the boy.

"Kurt, let's dance," Mercedes said, pulling her best friend out to the dance floor. Kurt absentmindedly started dancing with her, keeping his eye on Blaine. "Why didn't you tell me about your boyfriend?"

"We're not dating, Mercedes," he replied.

"You are now," she mentioned.

_Ah the moons too bright_

_The chains too tight_

_The beast won't go to sleep_

_I've been running through these promises to you_

_That I made but could not keep_

_Ah but never got a woman back_

_And not by begging on his knees_

Blaine got on his knees now, his voice continuing to croon. It was the sexiest thing Kurt had ever seen. He could feel the eyes of his friends on him. Everyone except Rachel and Finn anyway. They were too busy looking at one another.

_I'd crawl to you baby_

_And I'd fall at your feet_

_I'll howl at your beauty_

_Like a dog in heat_

_And I'd claw at your heart_

_And I'd tear at your sheet_

_I'd say please_

_Cuz I'm your man_

_I'm your man._

Everyone started cheering and clapping as Blaine took his bow and left the stage. Everyone knew who he was looking for. Mercedes patted Kurt on the shoulder. "Go get your man," she told him, and he nodded.

It was in the middle of the dance floor that the two saw each other. Kurt picked up the pace and when he reached Blaine, grabbed him by the lapels of his coat and pulled so that their lips met. The hollers and whoops from the people around them were completely drowned out by the feeling of Blaine's lips on his own, Blaine's hands on his hips, snaking around his waist. When they separated, they stared at one another, smiling. "Please tell me I didn't interpret that performance wrong," Kurt said.

In response, Blaine kissed Kurt.

From their spot on the dance floor, Evangeline and Puck smiled, turning to one another once more. "You know…I don't think tonight could have gone any better. We got Rachel and Finn talking," Evangeline said, looking to find that the two had stepped off the dance floor to have a chat, "Kurt and Blaine finally got together, and you and I had a lovely night."

Puck smiled. "I'd say, all in all, it was a successful first date."

* * *

When the two cars arrived at Evangeline's house, the girls filed in after saying goodnight to their dates. It had been decided that they would spend the night at Evangeline's so they could gush about the ball and then sleep until noon. Before Evangeline could follow them into the house, Puck called out to her. She turned to see him getting out of the car and walking towards her with a smirk on his face. "There's one last thing we need to do before the date is over," he said as he climbed up onto her front porch.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" she asked, feigning innocence.

Instead of answering her, he took her face into his hands and kissed her softly. It was innocent, not at all like their first kiss. When he pulled back, he still look satisfied and that made Evangeline extremely happy. "The perfect first date should always end with a kiss, right?" he asked cheekily.

"Just one?" she asked, pouting until he kissed her again. Just as she had hoped, it was just as gentle and calm as the one before it.

They pulled apart when the guys started beeping the car horn of both cars, to which Puck lifted his middle finger and proceeded to kiss Evangeline one last time. She laughed into the kiss this time. "Goodnight, Noah," she said, opening the front door to her house.

"Goodnight, Evangeline."

With a small wave, Evangeline went into the house, where she was bombarded by the girls. From outside, Puck could hear their giggling and squealing and smiled, knowing he would get the male version which consisted of fist bumping and jibing at him about the three doorstep kisses.

When the girls settled into the living room, Rachel presented Evangeline's laptop. "I've already got Kurt on Skype," she beamed.

"Hey guys!" Kurt said with a grin. "Blaine's here too."

Shouts of "Omigod!" and "Congrats!" and "Wanky wanky!" and various other phrases came from the girls, some of which were dirty enough to make both Kurt and Blaine blush.

"Hey, remember that time Kurt claimed he and Blaine were just friends and then Blaine sang to him and they made out in the middle of the dance floor? Wasn't that awesome?" Evangeline asked.

"Eve!" Kurt shrieked.

"So Curly Q, what made you ballsy enough to profess your love to Porcelain in song?" Santana asked curiously.

"Er…well, I kind of watched that video you guys put up last weekend. You know…Don't tell mama? And I thought it was really unfair that Kurt got to cyber seduce me, so I thought I'd seduce him in real life via song," Blaine admitted.

"Hot," Santana replied.

Kurt coughed. "Anyway, what about Evangeline and Puck? You two were getting awfully cozy. And Mercedes and David!" The two girls mentioned blushed.

"Noah and I had a very nice first date. That's all," Evangeline offered. "Mercedes?"

The other girl hesitated before smiling. "He's going to call me tomorrow." The girls and Kurt all screamed and jumped around.

"Santana, how many numbers did you get?" Kurt asked.

"Twenty-seven."

"What a perfect night," Quinn sighed.

By the time they finished talking and closed the computers, Kurt was beat. Blaine was already waiting for him, lying on his bed. "Is it awful that I'm afraid you're going to change your mind any second?" Kurt asked.

"Yes," Blaine replied, "because I'll never do that."

Kurt allowed himself to crawl under the covers next to Blaine and sink into the other boy's embrace, his head resting on Blaine's chest. "Don't say that. If you do, it'll only make it worse," he told him before nodding off.

Blaine shook his head and pulled Kurt closer. He'd managed to get the boy in his arms, now he had to convince him he wanted to keep him there. One thing at a time though. Smiling, he kissed Kurt on the top of his head before closing his eyes.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** and** Blaine Anderson **are in a relationship.

**Rachel Berry**, **Evangeline Anne Hummel** and** 56 others **like this.

**David Thompson**: It's about time. Wes and I have had enough of hearing Blaine talk about Kurt.

**Wes Richter**: No offense, Kurt. You have beautiful eyes, but hearing about them at least 24,647 times a day gets tiring.

**Blaine Anderson**: Guys, cut it out!

**Finn Hudson**: Congrats, guys. Kurt, you'd better bring Blaine home soon. Mom and Burt want to meet him.

**Kurt Hummel**: O_O Oh Gaga…

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** tagged **Blaine Anderson** and **Kurt Hummel** in a video.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**, **David Thompson** and** 277 others** like this.

**Santana Lopez**: So hot ;)

**Kurt Hummel**: Mercedes, how did you even take this? You were dancing with me.

**David Thompson**: I took over camera duty for the moment.

**Kurt Hummel**: Did you have to record us kissing?

**Blaine Anderson**: :D

**Kurt Hummel**: Don't encourage them, Blaine.

**Wes Richter**: Go big or go home, right Dave?

**Santana Lopez**, **Blaine Anderson** and **56 others** like this.

**Noah Puckerman**: Way to go, Hummel. It's about time you got laid.

**Mercedes Jones**, **Tina Cohen-Chang** and 23 others like this.

**Brittany S. Pierce**: I have the sexiest dolphins ever.

**Kurt Hummel** and **Blaine Anderson** like this.

**Rachel Berry**: An impressive performance, Blaine.

**Blaine Anderson**: Thanks, Rachel!

**Mercedes Jones**: *watching on repeat*

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: Yeah, this is hot.

**Quinn Fabray**: And so cute!

**Sam Evans**: Thanks a lot, Blaine. Now nothing any guy ever does will amount to this. You have officially ruined men for any girl or homosexual guy forever.

**Blaine Anderson**, **Quinn Fabray** and **109 others **like this.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** to **Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Why are you still listed as single?

**Noah Puckerman** likes this.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Oh. Well, we've only been on one date.

**Noah Puckerman**: I'm calling you.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** and **Noah Puckerman** are in a relationship.

**Kurt Hummel**, **Rachel Berry** and **23 others** like this.

**Wes Richter**: DISLIKE!

**Noah Puckerman**: You got a problem, Prep boy?

**Wes Richter**: Er…j/k?

**Rachel Berry**: I'm looking forward to seeing more duets from the two of you.

**Quinn Fabray**: Is glee club the only thing you ever think about?

**Kurt Hummel**: Way to go BB!

**Sam Evans**: Congrats, guys. Still underwhelming compared to Blaine and Kurt though.

**Blaine Anderson** likes this.

**Finn Hudson**: Uh…mom and Burt have met Puck before, but Burt wants to interrogate him, so you should bring him around soon.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: O_O Noah, why did we become Facebook official again?

**Noah Puckerman**: Cuz I'm your man.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** likes this.


	6. Perfect For You

**A/N:** The song in this chapter is Perfect For You from the musical, Next to Normal.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 6:** Perfect for You

Just as Burt had wanted, he met both Puck and Blaine on New Year's Day when they were invited for dinner. It was clear that the two males were extremely nervous and intimidated, despite the fact that Puck had indeed met Mr. Hummel before, mostly when visiting Finn. Luckily, Carol was there to make sure he didn't go too far out of line.

Considering the fact that Blaine was dating Burt's only son, he was the first to be interrogated. "So, Blaine, you're graduating after this year?"

"That's right, Sir." Nice touch. Puck mentally took notes as they all sat around the dinner table.

"What are your plans for next year? You looking into colleges and stuff now?"

"Dad…" Kurt grumbled.

"It's okay, Kurt. I've applied to a couple of different schools. I'd really like to become a therapist," Blaine admitted.

"A therapist? What brought that on?" Evangeline asked, incredibly curious. Her parents always went to couples therapy and that hadn't really helped them out.

Blaine gave that dazzling smile that was sure the melt even Burt. "Well, I want to specifically reach out of teens like me and Kurt, gay teens who didn't have that support system. Even though we're moving ahead with GLBT rights, there are always going to be families that are unsupportive or close-minded. I'm lucky enough to have supportive parents. I want to do something for those who don't have that," he explained.

_Shit_, thought Puck. This kid was too perfect. He was going to look like an asshat next to this guy.

"I think that's just great," Carol added with a smile on her face.

"What kind of grades do you get at Dalton?" Burt asked.

Kurt frowned. "Seriously, Dad? Is this necessary? He's on the Dean's List so his grades are just fine," he mentioned. "He was born August 28th, likes long walks on the beach and is a Virgo."

Everyone at the table except Burt snickered at the comment. "I can't ask my son's first boyfriend some questions?"

"Uncle Burt, I can vouch for Blaine. He's a good guy," Evangeline offered. "Don't get too excited alright? You were just in the hospital a couple months ago."

This seemed to satisfy Burt for the moment, and Kurt mouthed a thank you to Evangeline from across the table. "What about you Puckerman? Any thoughts on the future?"

Puck nearly choked. "Uh, well I'm only a junior so I don't know what I really want to do yet. For now, I have my pool cleaning service for the summer," he answered, figuring that having his own business was sure to impress him a little bit.

"That's right. Well, Evangeline, here, has known what she's wanted to do since she was a little kid. Ain't that right?" he asked, looking at his niece proudly.

Now she bit her lip. "Actually, Uncle Burt, I've decided to stop modeling."

He couldn't hide his surprise. "Oh? I thought you loved modeling. Have you told your parents this yet?"

Evangeline hesitated when she felt Noah's hand reach for hers under the table. "Yes, they know. They weren't too happy about it. I don't really see myself going back to New York City for a while. In the meantime, I thought I'd go to school for music, play the violin or the piano for a living," she explained.

"Hey, when are your folks coming to Lima? You've been living in that place all by yourself. It makes me nervous, you know. Can't they handle some of their work from here?" Burt questioned. "I haven't seen my brother in a while."

"Well…" Evangeline started, "…they're not…they're not really sure when they'll have everything in order. You know them though, always busy with one thing or another. I don't mind living by myself."

"Alright, but if you ever feel lonely, you come straight here. There's always room for you," Carol offered.

"Thanks," Evangeline said before returning to her food. She didn't want anymore said on the matter. Only Puck, Kurt and the glee girls knew that her parents weren't ever planning on coming to Lima. She couldn't tell Finn. He would accidentally spill the beans to Burt. And if Burt knew…who knew what would happen? He would surely erupt at his brother, who was Evangeline's father. With the recent heart-attack, she couldn't possibly tell him everything that was happening.

"So Puckerman, I've heard that you're quite the ladies' man. You sure you're ready to stick to just one girl? I don't want any guy taking my favorite niece for a ride," Burt started. The entire table sighed, but Evangeline was secretly glad that the subject had been changed.

* * *

When Puck dropped Evangeline off at her house, they kissed once in the car before she went inside. They were both exhausted after Burt tortured the two beaus. Evangeline was so tired, in fact, that she went straight upstairs and to her bedroom, skipping her nearly nightly routine of snacking and watching a bit to television. Sliding her dress off, she considered simply falling asleep in her underwear.

Looking at the bed, however, removed any ability to sleep.

On the comforter was a piece of paper that she didn't remember leaving there. On it were the words:

"YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM ME."

There wasn't any signature, but there was no need for one. Evangeline knew who it was and immediately grabbed for her robe, putting it on before dialing Puck on her cellphone. As he rang, she prayed that Noah would pick up.

"_Hey, babe, what's up?"_

Normally, Evangeline would have noted how adorable Puck sounded, calling her babe, but she was near hysteria by the time she realized he was waiting for an answer. The words she wanted to say could barely form in her mind, much less on her tongue.

"N-Noah, can you come back?" she asked. _He knows how to get into my house! He could still be here_, she thought, crazed with fear.

"_Sure. Are you okay?"_

"I-I don't know. He m-might be here. He might be in my house! He left me a note on my bed. Noah, please get here!" she cried. She'd never felt fear like this before. There was only one person who could turn her into such a pathetic puddle of gush, and the fact that this person had been in her house was unfathomable.

"_Shit. Don't worry, Eve. I've already turned around. I'll be right there. Just stay where you are and stay on the phone with me."_

"O-Okay, please, just get here." Evangeline sat on the floor next to her bed, not wanting to touch anything near where that letter was waiting for her. She clutched the letter in her hand now, her fist not letting up. It was the one link to how real this situation was. The past couple of weeks, she'd been playing pretend, pretending she could have a normal, healthy relationship with someone and pretending that she didn't have any lingering problems from New York. This scrap of paper had shattered the illusion into tiny, particles unable to be seen by the naked eye.

It was a couple of minutes before she heard Puck drive up to her house. _"I'm here. You just have to let me in, okay?"_

"Okay," she said, inching out of her room, robe tied tightly around her. As soon as she saw that there was nobody in the hallway, she ran down the stairs and towards the front door. It seemed to take forever for her shaking hand to get the key in the door, but as soon as she ripped the door open, she reached for Puck, hugging him around the waist. As soon as he got over his surprise at how quickly she moved, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, one hand in his short, blonde hair.

"Eve, I have to take a look around the house, alright?" he asked. She nodded and pulled back so he could enter the house.

It turned out that whoever left the note had left before Evangeline got home. This didn't calm her however. "I have to get the locks changed. And maybe I should get a bolt lock," she decided, pacing back and forth in the living room as Puck watched her.

"Alright, but I really think you should move in with your Uncle Burt. You can put this house on the market. Or at least tell him about what's going on. Even I didn't realize this guy was going to follow you to Ohio to stalk and harass you. And you should report this to the cops. They can send a patrol car," Puck suggested.

"For now, can you just stay here tonight?" she asked.

"Of course," he replied. "But you have to do something about this. If you leave it, who knows what could happen?"

"I can't tell Uncle Burt. He'll have another heart attack. He already has enough to deal with since that whole thing with Karofsky and the bullying and Kurt transferring to Dalton. I can't do that to him," Evangeline explained. "Can we…can we please not talk about this anymore tonight? Let's just go to sleep."

Puck agreed only because he knew if they continued to speak of such matters, neither of them would sleep easily. It would be an arduous enough task as it was. So the two got ready for bed, Puck stripping to his boxers and Evangeline changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top. When Evangeline first felt Puck's strong body next to hers in bed, she had to remind herself that it was indeed Puck and nobody else. It wasn't _him_. It was only when she had herself convinced of this that she did fall asleep.

But when she woke up in the middle of the night, she was startled again to find a hard chest behind her and she struggled out of Puck's embrace. "Eve, babe!" he called out to her as she pushed him away from her. "Eve, it's me." She stopped and rolled around to see his face. Her breathing was harsh and erratic, her eyes wild in fear.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry. I don't mean to be such a crazy person," she told him honestly. "I can't help but think that it's him who's touching me and it freaks me out."

"You're not crazy. And stop apologizing. The badass Evangeline would never apologize for anything, right? Besides, it really sucks that some douche fucked with you like this. In time, it'll be okay though, right?" he said, smiling as he pulled her into him so that she could rest against his chest.

Evangeline shook her head. "I don't know, Noah."

"Let me try something, okay? Just remember. It's me. It's always me," he said, laying her flat on the mattress so he could bend over her to join their lips together. He started slow, just lips and a hand in her hair. And it was this slowness that allowed Evangeline to survey the differences between Puck and _him_. His hands had a bit more finesse. The hand in her hair rubbed small, soothing circles into her scalp. And his lips felt different. They were soft, maybe a little bit chapped, and just the right amount of forceful, allowing her to adjust to their insistence.

He took her hand next, laced his fingers with hers, and swiped his tongue against her lips, which opened without hesitation underneath his ministration. The way his tongue moved in her mouth was completely new to her, something that couldn't possibly remind her of anybody else. It was languid and calm.

The hand he'd been holding was now being guided towards his chest, encouraging her to touch him while his lips trailed away from hers, starting at the corner of her mouth and moving towards her jaw, up to where the line met with her neck. Her hand, meanwhile, explored his toned chest, the exact piece of anatomy that had scared her so badly just a moment ago. Now she felt the way muscles rippled under her fingertips, finding that his chest was a bit broader and more toned that the chest she'd expected it to be.

"See? It's just me. You're fine," he said.

Evangeline smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Noah," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck so she could hold him close and fall back to sleep. This time, his chest and the strong arms around her made her fearful of nothing except losing them.

* * *

Kurt sprung awake, a normal occurrence at this point, and looked around to find that he was safe and sound in his bedroom at Dalton. Breathing heavily, he tried to figure out what it was that had ripped him from the dream this time. What had been merciful enough to free him from Karofsky's dream-grip? There it was: his cell-phone. It had buzzed on his nightstand, signifying a text message.

_Ur goin 2 hell homo!_

_Faggot!_

_Kill yourself, cocksucker!_

Sighing, Kurt closed his phone. These messages all came from different numbers that weren't listed in his contacts. They came pretty consistently each day. Usually he did his best to ignore them. There was no point in giving them attention when there was nothing he could do about them anyway.

"Kurt? You okay?" It was Blaine's voice that made him a little less tense. Kurt put his phone back on the nightstand and snuggled into Blaine's warmth.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"How long have you been dreaming about Karofsky?"

"W-What?" Kurt asked, rolling to face away from Blaine, frightened that his face would give everything away. He vaguely wondered if David had told Blaine everything Kurt had explained to him but forgot that idea quickly. The boy had promised he wouldn't tell, right? He trusted David enough. Otherwise, even in his vulnerable state, he wouldn't have told the other Warbler about his nightmares or the reason for his transfer.

"You were saying his name in your sleep. I figured you were dreaming something about him," Blaine said, pulling at Kurt's body so his back lined up perfectly with the older boy's chest. He nuzzled into the back of Kurt's neck, sampling the soft skin there. "You want to tell me what you've been dreaming?"

Kurt shook his head. "It's no big deal. Honestly, it's not so bad," he replied.

Blaine wasn't satisfied however. "You know you can tell me anything," he mentioned. What kind of a boyfriend would he be if he didn't pry about what was bothering Kurt each and every night? Yes, he woke up each night that Kurt woke up and each night he comforted him until they both were asleep again. But this time, he wanted answers.

"I know. There's nothing to tell though. Sometimes I have bad dreams, just like anybody else," the boy replied.

"Sometimes has been pretty often lately. And you can't blame me for being nervous when you shout Karofsky's name in your sleep."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just when he kissed me. That's all," Kurt replied.

"You sure? It didn't sound like that was all."

Kurt looked over his shoulder. "Don't worry, okay? Everything is just fine," he said before resting his head back on the pillow and closing his eyes.

* * *

"Puck, can I talk to you for a minute?" The beautiful blonde leaned against the locker next to his, waiting for a response.

It was the first day back at McKinley after the New Year. Puck had left Evangeline's house only once she got multiple locks installed on her front and back doors and had all of her windows checked. This was their first time seeing each other since he left, and Puck had been looking forward to the day he could walk down the halls of McKinley with his hand holding Evangeline's. Today wouldn't be that day unfortunately.

"Sure, what is it, babe?" he asked.

Evangeline looked down at the floor before meeting his eyes. "Well, I was thinking maybe now isn't the best time for me to be getting into something…something like this," she said.

"Something like this? You mean us?"

"Yeah. Us. I just think maybe I should get rid of some of my baggage before anything else happens." He could see the fear back in her face. What had put that back there?

"You think you're the only one with baggage? I have baggage too, you know. Jeez, I was sixteen when Quinn got pregnant. I watched her give our baby up for adoption. I fucked around with any girl with big tits and a couple of drinks in her. And I was happy doing it. At first I thought that was what you were going to be too, but these past weeks have made me realize that it isn't what I want anymore. Now you want to just call the whole thing off?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, Noah."

Puck watched her walk away before punching the locker next to him. When students stopped to stare, he lashed out. "What are you all looking at?" They immediately scurried to escape his wrath.

There had to be something he could do to change this. Quickly, he pulled out his phone and dialed Kurt's number. He'd had it stored thanks to Rachel and her annoying glee phone list. Now he could only hope that the other boy could pick up right now.

"_Puck? What's going on?"_ Kurt asked into the phone, sounding a bit out of breath.

"Evangeline dumped me. What do I do to get her back?"

"_What? Why? Did something happen?"_

Puck explained everything he could without mentioning that Evangeline's house was broken into. He knew mentioning that to Kurt would just open a whole different can of worms, and then Evangeline would be even less inclined to be with him. "I told her that we all have baggage. But she doesn't want to hear it. What do I do, Hummel?"

"_Sing, Puck. I've got the perfect song, one that I know she knows."_

"Perfect."

* * *

"Kurt, what's going on?" Blaine asked from the other side of the room, carefully tying his tie. The two had been sharing some morning kisses before classes started when Kurt's phone rang.

"Oh, Evangeline and Puck are having some issues. It's nothing that won't be fixed within the day, I think," he replied. Going to grab his books he realized something. "Crap, I forgot my Calculus book in the car last night. I'm going to run and get it before class." He gave Blaine a chaste peck on the lips before running out the door.

The parking lot wasn't too far from the academic building, so Kurt simply took a brisk walk over to his car to retrieve the book. It was a cold day, but the air felt fresh and crisp against his face. When he made it to his car, he quickly opened the trunk, knowing his book was lying innocently there.

He didn't realize someone had walked up behind him until the trunk was shut and that someone turned him around to slam him against the back of his car. Hitting his head against the window, Kurt felt dazed and his vision had to realign itself before he saw Karofsky's face leering back at him. Once he realized that this wasn't one of his nightmares, he began to struggle out of Karofsky's grip. "What do you _want_ from me?"

"You know what I want. You _know_. But you had to go and leave McKinley, so I had to follow you here." He held Kurt by the shoulders and slammed his body against the car again.

Kurt resisted the urge to vomit when his body reacted to the force of being slammed against the car. "D-Dave, I understand what you're going through, but this has to stop!"

"How could you understand?" Dave yelled in his face. "I was normal! I liked girls until you started prancing along in your little outfits! You made me this way!"

When Kurt tried to push him away, Dave hit him across the face. "Why are you doing this? Why can't you just get some help and leave me alone?" Kurt had had enough. Dalton was supposed to be where he was safe. Karofsky must have snuck onto the property just to do this. Now he ruined the illusion of safety that Kurt had had since transferring.

Karofsky took Kurt's face in his hands now, much like the first time he'd kissed him. "You had to go and get yourself a boyfriend. Why can't you be mine?" Kurt looked at him with wide eyes before the larger jock kissed him for the second time. "I could be perfect for you. I'll make myself perfect for you, Kurt."

* * *

It was the first time Puck felt nervous when walking into glee club. When he'd sung weeks ago, he'd been too angry to be nervous. But now his relationship with Evangeline was riding on this performance. He only hoped that Kurt was right when he chose the song. When he'd printed out the music and lyrics during lunch, it seemed like the perfect song. It was a duet though. Kurt assured him that Evangeline knew the song and would jump in.

"Mr. Schuester, could I start off?" Puck asked.

"Sure. Let's see what you've got," the teacher replied, always glad when someone besides Rachel offered to go first.

"I was told that a certain person here would know this duet and would jump in. If she's willing to, that is," he said, looking at Evangeline.

The music started and he jumped in:

_Our planet is poison, the oceans, the air_

_Around and beneath and above you_

Evangeline stared at him and didn't sing the one line she would have had. He was disappointed, but it wasn't time to give up yet. He continued:

_I'm trying to tell you I love you_

"What?" she asked, standing up from her chair to oppose him. Was he just singing this to woo her? Or was he actually telling her that he loved her?

_The world is at war_

_Filled with death and disease_

_We dance at the edge of destruction_

_The globe's getting warmer by deadly degrees_

Evangeline gave up and sang.

_**And this is one fucked up seduction.**_

Puck couldn't help but smile a bit to himself.

_The planet is pretty much broken beyond all repair_

_But one thing is working if you're standing there_

_Perfect for you, I could be perfect for you_

_I may be lazy a loner, a bit of a stoner, it's true_

_But I could be perfect, perfect for you_

They smiled at each other now as Noah continued.

_You square all the corners_

_I straighten the curves_

_**You've got some nerve Noah**_

_**And I'm just all nerves**_

_But even if everything else turns to dirt_

Together they sang the next line:

_We'll be the one thing in this world that won't hurt._

Noah continued slowly and softly, taking her hand in his.

_I can't fix what's fucked up_

_But one thing I know I can do_

_I can be perfect for you_

_**I can be perfect for you**_, Evangeline sang.

The last line they sang together.

_Perfect for you_.

Everyone was silent as they finished, as though unsure if they should interrupt the moment by clapping or voicing their thoughts on the duet. Unfortunately, they didn't have to do anything to interrupt. Something else did.

"Evangeline? Finn?" The two teenagers turned at the sound of their names being called to find Miss Pillsbury standing in the doorway. "Could you come with me for a moment? There's something I'd like to speak with you about."

Evangeline looked to Puck. "We'll talk later, okay?" he said with a smile on his face. She nodded before following Finn out the door.

"Uh…what's going on?" Finn asked as they walked down the hall towards the guidance counselor's office. He and Evangeline were nervous enough, having been called out together. That could mean only one thing…a family matter.

When they made it to the office, the two teens sat down. "I just got a call from Mr. Hummel."

"What's happened?" Evangeline asked. "Please, just say it."

"Kurt's been hurt."

* * *

It had been a fidgety, hour-long ride to Westerville Hospital, but the two teenagers made it there as quickly as possible. When they entered the waiting room, Burt, Carol and Blaine were all sitting there. Burt stood when he saw them approaching. Within seconds, Evangeline was hugging her uncle.

"What the hell happened?" Finn demanded as his mother tried to have him sit in one of the chairs.

Blaine stared at the ground, but started speaking. "Kurt went to the parking lot to get one of his books out of the car. I didn't think anything of it because nothing like this ever happens at Dalton. But then he wasn't in class. After, I went to see if he was in his room. He wasn't there so I tried to call him but he didn't answer. So I went out to the parking lot. He was laying in the backseat of the car c-crying and b-bleeding." He hid his face in his hands.

Evangeline sat on the arm of his chair and hugged him close to her so that his head rested against her stomach. She ran her fingers through his hair as he held onto her and cried. "Blaine, you couldn't have done anything. You did the right thing, looking for him and bringing him here."

"Yeah, man. Kurt could have died if you didn't find him," Finn offered. "But now they'll take care of him and he'll be alright. Right?"

Carol smiled. "Of course. We just have to wait for the doctor to come through that door and tell us that he'll be just fine."

However, Burt didn't seem so sure. He sat there silently, staring at the door that the doctor would walk through, waiting. Waiting to hear whether or not his son was okay.

The doctor that did walk through that door was a tall man with thin-rimmed glasses. "Mr. Hummel?" he called out and all five of the people waiting immediately jumped up to receive the news of how Kurt was doing. "Kurt is stable. He had severe bruising on his back and face, a couple of broken ribs and a sprained wrist. We'd like to keep him here for a couple of days to regulate his breathing as his ribs start to heal, and he'll need lots of rest even once he can go home. He will be okay." The doctor looked like he had something else to mention.

"What is it, Doctor?" Mr. Hummel asked.

"Mr. Hummel, I'd like to speak with you in private. If you could accompany to have a look at Kurt? He's still unconscious and there's…another matter I should like to talk to you about," he said carefully. Blaine flinched at the doctor's words, as though he might know what he was going to say.

"Blaine comes too," Burt said, surprising the teen. "He's my son's boyfriend." The doctor nodded before leading the two away.

As the remaining three waited, time seemed to move even slower than originally. They knew Kurt was going to be okay, but what could the doctor want to talk about? They occasionally found something to talk about, but there was always that lingering sound of forced conversation. None of them were fully invested in what they were saying to one another.

Evangeline only looked away from the door when she saw Puck walking into the waiting room. She leapt out of her chair and ran towards him, her heels clicking on the floor as she hurried to wrap her arms around his neck. She was shaking with sobs as she finally let them go. In front of Blaine, she wanted to seem optimistic and ready to face anything because he was so down on himself. Now that Puck was here, she let everything go, and he held her through it. "H-How did you know?" she asked.

"I heard Mr. Schue talking about it to Miss Pillsbury," he replied, holding her close as she hid her face in his shoulder. "I didn't tell the others though. No point in them coming down here before we know how Kurt is." Evangeline couldn't believe how thoughtful he was. He always was with her. How could she have ever believed that she could stay away from him? That she wasn't falling madly in love with him?

They separated only when Burt and Blaine returned to the waiting room, immediately going to them. "What's going on? Can we see him?" Evangeline asked.

"He's resting," Burt replied. He looked absolutely stricken. His face was pale and there were lines apparent in his forehead that Evangeline had never seen before.

"Uncle Burt, what did the doctor say?"

Burt and Blaine shared a glance before Blaine nodded. "The doctor said there was evidence of something that made him think this was more than a hate-crime." Her uncle was obviously uncomfortable talking about it. It had to be bad.

"When I found Kurt…there was blood running from the back of his pants," Blaine explained, his eyes filling with tears once again. "W-Whoever did this to Kurt…didn't just beat him up. They r-raped him."

Finn, Evangeline, Carol and Puck looked at the two with similar shocked and horrified expressions.

Kurt had been raped. Suddenly, Evangeline's own problems didn't seem important at all.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** tagged **Evangeline Anne Hummel** and **Noah Puckerman** in a video.

**Rachel Berry**, **Sam Evans** and **14 others** like this.

**Sam Evans**: Still not as good as Blaine.

**Sam Evans**: Blaine, aren't you going to like my comment?

**Sam Evans**: It's been three hours, man. Come on!

* * *

**Noah Puckerman** to **Sam Evans**: Leave it alone, man. Blaine can't exactly be on fb right now.

**Sam Evans**: What's going on, dude?

**Noah Puckerman**: I'll call you.

* * *

**Quinn Fabray** is praying for **Kurt Hummel**.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** will find whoever did this to her BB.

* * *

**Brittany S. Pierce** doesn't understand hate of dolphins.

* * *

**Artie Abrams** will see justice had.

* * *

**Santana Lopez** is about to kill a bitch.

* * *

**Rachel Berry** wishes there wasn't so much hate in the world.

* * *

**David Thompson** wishes there was something he could have done to stop this.

* * *

**Wes Richter** doesn't know how this happened.

* * *

**Tina Cohen-Chang** will fight for the equal rights and safety of her beloved **Kurt Hummel**.

* * *

**Mike Chang** accepts that love is love, regardless of race, gender or religion.

* * *

**Sam Evans** is out for blood.

* * *

**Noah Puckerman** will make this right.


	7. I Don't Care Much

**A/N:** The song in this chapter is I Don't Care Much from Cabaret. Thanks for reading!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 7:** I Don't Care Much

"Your son is awake, Mr. Hummel."

Before these words had been spoken, Evangeline had been sleeping on Puck's shoulder as slept in the chair next to her own. His head leaned against her, nuzzling his nose absently in her short, golden locks. A couple chairs over, Finn slept with his legs hanging over the span of three chairs. Burt, Carol and Blaine had all remained awake, however. Awake and waiting for any news of Kurt regaining consciousness.

As soon as the doctor's voice echoed through the room, the sleeping teenagers woke and were immediately attentive. There was no need for adjustment from their fitful sleep. The second anything about Kurt was said, they were ready. "He's asking for his father and Blaine," the doctor explained.

Blaine was one his feet so quickly, the others might have marveled at it had the circumstances been different. Burt followed him and the doctor as they made their way to Kurt's hospital room. Luckily, they had been able to move him out of the ICU and into a regular hospital room.

It was still difficult to look at the boy. His face was swollen and bruised and bandaged to the point that it was a marvel that the poor boy could see anything. His breathing was harsh and trying, and Blaine couldn't imagine his boyfriend's pain as he tried to breathe with broken ribs. Then there was the vacant, distant look on his face. That was what worried Blaine the most. What would be the mental repercussions of all of this? What would happen to him?

Burt sat down in the chair next to the bed while Blaine stood at the other side of the bed. They each had one of Kurt's hands in their own, Blaine being careful of the sprained wrist on his side. "How you feeling, bud?" Burt asked, running a hand through his son's hair.

Kurt tried to smile, but whined when it hurt too much. "I'm okay," he said, but he voice was incredibly weak, most likely due to the trouble he was having with his breathing.

The doctor seemed to notice this. "We'll have you on pain medications in a little while. However, they'll make you groggy and a bit incoherent, so we would like to wait until you've spoken to the investigator," he explained.

"Investigator?" Kurt wheezed, his teeth worrying his lower lip.

"Indeed, Kurt. We found evidence of rape, so we have notified the police. The investigator will need to hear your account of what happened yesterday if you feel up to it. It's best to do these things when the details are still fresh," the doctor continued. "We've already taken photos of your injuries to be kept as proof."

"No."

"No?" Burt asked, looking concerned.

"No, I don't want to. Please to make me. I don't want to talk about it. I can't!" he cried, beginning to breathe in hurried gasps, then whining at the pain it caused him.

Blaine sat down on the bed next to Kurt, holding the boy's hand to his chest. "Kurt, listen to me," he said, gaining his boyfriend's attention. "We have to find who did this to you."

Kurt looked at his father and then the doctor before looking back at Blaine. "I can't. He'll kill me," he whispered, alarming all of the men in the room.

Blaine could tell there was something he couldn't say in front of the two older males. The same went for the curly-haired teen. Ever since he'd found Kurt, there was one burning question he had to ask. "Would you two mind if Kurt and I talk privately for a minute?" Burt looked at the doctor and nodded. After the night he'd spent in the hospital waiting room with Blaine, he trusted the boy and knew he was their best chance at getting Kurt to give his story. Consequently the two left the room, leaving the two teenagers alone.

"Was it Karofsky?" Blaine asked immediately.

Tears ran down Kurt's cheeks. "D-Don't make me say it."

"You have to, Kurt. I wish you didn't have to, but you do. There's no other way you'll ever be safe unless we get this guy locked away for good. Isn't that what you want?" Blaine asked, trying to wipe away all of the tears.

"He'll kill me, Blaine. I know he's capable of it."

Blaine glanced at him oddly now. "What does that mean?" When Kurt didn't answer, he asked again. "Kurt, what you just said…what does it mean?"

"Nothing. It doesn't matter. Can't we just leave it alone?"

"I'll tell the investigator about the kiss, Kurt. If that's what it takes to get him put away, that's what I'll do," Blaine threatened.

Kurt grabbed Blaine's uniform blazer, more tears cascading down his face. "P-Please, Blaine. I d-don't know what to do," he cried. Blaine sat closer to him so that Kurt could hide his face against his boyfriend's chest when his body shook with heaving sobs. "I-I'm so sorry, Blaine. I couldn't s-stop him. I r-r-ruined everything!"

Rubbing his back, Blaine did his best to keep his composure. It was so awful, seeing Kurt so vulnerable and broken after such a horrendous attack. But he had to be strong for Kurt, and he had to make sure that nothing like this ever happened to him ever again. "You didn't ruin anything, Kurt. This isn't your fault. But if you can find courage for a little bit longer, I know we can make whoever did this pay."

"Kurt, the inspector is here," said the doctor, who chose that moment to peek through the doorway.

Kurt looked up at Blaine with wide, scared eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere," Blaine said and they faced the investigator together.

* * *

Waiting was the worst. Evangeline sat with her hand tucked safely into Puck's, his thumb grazing over her knuckles in a small sign of support and comfort, as they waited to hear more, to find out what happened to her beloved cousin. There was so much anger swirling around in her heart. Dalton was supposed to be someplace safe for Kurt, but whatever he was running from obviously found him there.

When Burt entered the room, everyone could see how tired and downtrodden he looked. Carol was quick to be at her husband's side, grasping his arm supportively. For a moment, Burt simply pulled her in and held her close, crying into her shoulder, something Evangeline had never seen her uncle do. Evangeline looked at Finn and within seconds Burt was surrounded by family. "He told the inspector everything," Burt said as though he wasn't sure if he was happy about it or not. Of course, they knew who to blame now. That Karofsky kid was going to get it. But hearing the awful account of what happened to his son was too much. Pulling back from everyone, he wiped his eyes with his sleeve and looked at Evangeline, Finn and Puck. "You should all go in and see him before they give him his meds. The doctor says he'll be out of it."

The three wandered down the hall, Evangeline's hand attached to Puck's tightly. The scare she'd had in her house the other day was nothing in comparison to the fear she felt right this second. She feared seeing Kurt's face all battered and bruised. She feared the emotional repercussions that came with rape. But with Noah at her side, she walked through the doorway that led to Kurt and took in the image that was her abused cousin.

"Eve," he whispered calmly. She immediately sat down next to his bed and took his hand into her own. He seemed so fragile that the small amount of contact might break him completely. "Did he sing to you?" he asked, gesturing to Puck.

"How did you know?"

"I called him after you dumped me. He helped me pick the perfect song," Puck explained, smiling. "Thanks, by the way."

"My pleasure…I'm guessing it did its job," Kurt replied.

Evangeline glanced at Puck. The two hadn't talked about it. Kurt was their only priority at the moment.

Just as Evangeline was about to respond, the nurse came in to administer Kurt's pain medication through his IV. "Now, you'll probably become a little tired, a bit out of it. So just relax, okay?" she said with a pleasant smile, before leaving the room. The other inhabitants of Kurt's room watched at the boy went from being perfectly alert and in a tremendous amount of pain to a complete ball of mush. He would randomly begin laughing, then crying, then both at the same time. The mood swings he was experiencing happened within a split second.

"Really guys, I'm fine. I'm sure I'll be back at Dalton within the week. I can't miss too much work. Blaine, are you missing too much work? I don't want anyone to fall behind," he rambled.

"Kurt, we all want to be here with you. You're more important than us being at school," Blaine replied, brushing his fingers through Kurt's hair.

"None of this matters," Kurt said. "Honestly. It doesn't. You guys shouldn't have to put your lives on hold because of this. I'm totally fine." He even started to laugh a little bit.

Evangeline squeezed Kurt's hand slightly. "It does matter, Kurt."

"Yeah, dude, you can't just blow it off like this," Finn mentioned.

Kurt's laughter stopped and he was very suddenly sobbing, his body heaving. Blaine moved so that he could hold Kurt in his arms. "Please don't leave me, Blaine. Never leave me," he begged, grasping onto Blaine's shirt.

The nurse entered when she heard sobbing from the hallway. "Perhaps it's best if we let Kurt get some rest," she suggested.

"I'll stay here with him," Blaine said immediately, still holding onto his boyfriend.

"Alright, Kurt, we'll be back soon okay?" Evangeline added, kissing Kurt's forehead.

"Feel better, man," Puck said.

"Love you, bro," Finn told him, leaning in to hug both Blaine and Kurt, an action that surprised both of the other males. When he pulled back, he placed a hand on the top of Kurt's head. "I promise, Kurt, I'll never let this happen ever again." With that, the nurse ushered the three teens out of the room.

Once they reached the waiting room, Carol met them, ready with a plan. "Alright, troops, here's what we're going to do. Noah, if you'd take Evangeline home so you can each wash up and change and rest up, I'd appreciate it. Finn, you go home and do the same, but bring some clothes back for me and Burt if you don't mind. The three of you will also be in charge of getting New Directions here in shifts once Kurt feels up to seeing the rest of his friends. We can't have too many people here at once or Kurt will be overwhelmed." She'd obviously put a lot of thought into this. And though Burt was handling himself as well as he possibly could at the moment, it was clear he wasn't in the right mindset to be making a plan. Luckily, Carol took charge and did so beautifully.

"Mom, are you sure? I can always stay here, and you and Burt can go and get some sleep. I know you guys didn't sleep last night," Finn offered.

"Well, there's no way I'm getting Burt out of here and I'm not leaving him. So it's best you go home, take care of yourself and bring some supplies back. Also try to bring some things we can put in Kurt's room to make it a little…more like home," she added.

* * *

"Do you mind if I take the first shower?" Evangeline asked. "I feel disgusting." The shower was also her ideal place to think. The calmness of water drumming on one's back while shampooing hair and scrubbing skin was replenishing and repetitive enough that Evangeline could empty her mind.

"Sure. I should give my mom a call anyway," he replied.

"Make yourself at home," she said before retreating into the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom, where Puck now sat on her bed. Bored and not really willing to sleep before at least having a shower, Puck explored her room, noting the trinkets she had on her dresser and desk. There were a couple of pictures of her and friends, her and Kurt as kids, and her and two people who he assumed were parents. She clearly wasn't over her emancipation if she kept pictures of them around. Puck couldn't exactly blame her. He remembered his father leaving. If for some reason, he'd been forced to leave his mother, he didn't know what he'd do.

These thoughts left him when he noticed something peeking out from under her bed. It was a book. A massive book. So he plopped back onto her bed and opened the book. Only then did he realize what it was. It wasn't just any book. It was _her book_, the book she would take when trying for modeling gigs. His eyes eagerly took in the images of a scantily clad Evangeline posing for the camera, biting her lip seductively. Turning the pages, he constantly had to keep his mind from drifting towards dirtier places. This wasn't the time for something like that.

Then he got to the photographs of Evangeline before she chopped off her hair. She had long, wavy locks of gold. She was beautiful; there was no doubt of that. But there was something missing. He didn't find her nearly as appealing with longer hair. She wasn't as confident or strong. She was hiding behind her hair.

"Oh." Puck turned around at the sound of Evangeline's voice to see her in her robe, looking directly at the book that Puck had been perusing. She could see that he was looking at some of her older photos, the ones with her long hair.

"When did you decide to cut your hair off?" Puck asked curiously.

"A couple of months ago. I'd wanted to do it for a long time, but I had so many people telling me it wouldn't look good. Finally, I just did it. I wanted something new. My parents hated it and…you know, _he_ hated it. My agency hated it until I ended up booking more jobs than before. I'm really happy with it though, so please don't ask me to grow it back," she said.

"Whoa, why would I ask that?" he questioned, taken aback by the request.

Evangeline sighed and ran her hands through her wet hair. "I don't usually get a great response to my hair from guys. I had so many of my guy friends beg me not to cut off. And…my boyfriend really hated it, said I looked like a boy, which I know is ridiculous, but it still gets annoying," she babbled. "He really, really hated it."

Within seconds, Puck was off of the bed and his lips were attached to Evangeline's. "I think you're so much hotter with short hair. You're hot no matter what you decide to do with your hair, but if this is what makes you confident, it's what makes you the sexiest to me," he said before kissing her again.

Evangeline pushed him back when a question came into her mind. "What you sang yesterday…did you mean it? All of it?" she asked him. "Do you love me?"

"Eve, I looked up that song before I sang it to you. Do you think I would have sung something that said 'I'm trying to tell you I love' if I weren't actually trying to tell you that I love you?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"Well, I don't know. I knew that someone had pointed you in the direction of that song, so I wondered if it was just because you knew I liked the show it's from," she mentioned.

Taking her shoulders in his hands, Puck looked down at her. "Evangeline Anne Hummel, I love you," he said. "I'm not singing it in someone else's words, so you can be sure of it."

"Don't you think this is fast?" Evangeline asked.

Puck stopped to think about it for a moment. "No. I mean, I guess we haven't known each other that long. But don't they say you know when you feel it? I know that I want to spend every minute with you. When you're not around, I'm usually thinking about you. And when I heard Schuester talking to Pillsbury about Kurt, I knew I had to drive to Westerville immediately to be there for you. And when you thought that guy was in this house…I don't think I've ever been so scared," he admitted.

"Good," Evangeline said, taking Puck's face into her hands, "because I love you too, and I didn't want to be the only one." She kissed him this time, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer so that their bodies pressed eagerly against one another. Within seconds, Puck's shirt, along with Evangeline's robe, was discarded.

* * *

Things kept getting stranger and stranger as Kurt moved further into the influence of his medication. Blaine had gone somewhere. Where had Blaine gone? There was a strange person standing in the corner of the room. He moved closer. Who was that? The figure moved closer again until the features of Dave Karofsky became clear. But he couldn't be here. He wouldn't. It'd be like asking to be arrested, right? "What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning. The figure didn't say anything.

Suddenly, Kurt heard music, a song he knew. He started singing.

_I don't care much_

_Go or stay_

_I don't care very much _

_Either way_

_Hearts grow hard_

_On a windy street_

_Lips grow cold_

_With the rent to meet_

_So if you kiss me_

_If we touch_

_Warning's fair_

_I don't care very much_

The hospital had a pathetic cafeteria, and the vending machines weren't cutting it. Kurt would only eat something healthy, and Blaine was having a horribly difficult time finding something that fit the bill. One would think a hospital would have plenty of healthy food. Of course, they did, but Kurt refused all of what was brought to him.

So far, Blaine had decided on a bag of pretzels, figuring it was good enough as a snack. Walking back towards Kurt's room, he heard music. Singing. That was Kurt's voice. Looking into Kurt's room, he was indeed singing, but to whom? There was nobody else in there, but Kurt looked intensely focused on something. There were tears running down his face and he continued to choke as he sang.

_I don't care much _

_Go or stay_

_I don't care very much_

_Either way_

_Words sound false_

_When your coat's too thin_

_Feet don't waltz_

_When the roof caves in_

_So if you kiss me_

_If we touch_

The note rang out and Kurt reached out towards his invisible guest. Then he paused, his face growing hard, his hand fall back to his side.

_Warning's fair_

_I don't care_

_Very much_

When he finished, Kurt rolled onto his side and sobbed. From the doorway, Blaine could see him trembling and immediately went to him, sitting down on the bed so Kurt's body could curl into his and Blaine could hold him close. "I wish I didn't c-care," the boy cried.

Blaine looked up when he noticed Burt's presence in the doorway. Normally, he'd be intimidated by the man, but they shared a glance and Burt knew that Blaine was who Kurt needed. This whole mess had brought Burt's complete approval of Blaine, and even of Puck. "Kurt, I'm glad that you care," Blaine said in a soft voice. "If you didn't care, well, what we have wouldn't matter to you either, would it? Any intimacy we ever shared wouldn't matter."

"That's not what I mean!" he sobbed. "What we have is different. We love each other. I j-just wish I didn't care about…about this! About Karofsky and what he did me! And the fact that he was my first when it should have been you."

"What happened to you is an awful, awful thing, Kurt. You can't just pretend that it doesn't matter because it does. Even if it didn't matter to you, it would matter to me because I love you and I never want to see you hurt like this," Blaine told him. It hurt so much to see Kurt like this. As the boy continued to sob, Blaine ran his fingers through his hair and did his best to hold back his own tears. "I wish I could have protected you from this."

"Blaine, I have to be able to protect myself. It's not your responsibility all of the time," Kurt told him.

When Finn came to the doorway to tell Blaine that he'd brought clothes for him, he found the two wrapped up in one another, fast asleep. Smiling to himself, he stepped out of the room and towards the cafeteria, where he knew his mom and Burt were waiting. When he got there still with the clothes in hand, his mother gave him a questioning look. "They're sleeping," he explained before sitting next to Burt. "Hey, where Evangeline and Puck?"

* * *

"Oh fuck," Evangeline said she realized what time it was. When she'd first woken up, she'd been calm and glowing while registering the fact that she had a very attractive, very naked Noah Puckerman in her bed and that she felt completely safe, not at all vulnerable. "Noah, you have to get up." He groaned when she nudged him. "Noah, it's almost five and we're expected back at the hospital."

The male opened his eyes and stretched in a way that nearly had Evangeline ready for another round, but she had to refrain. "Calm down. They probably think we're resting up, just like Carol said," he reminded her.

When Evangeline's phone rang, she leapt to pick it up, pulling her robe back on in the meantime. "Uncle Burt? I'm so sorry. Noah and I fell asleep. I just woke up," she rambled.

"_Hey, hey, don't worry about it. Kurt's asleep and probably will be for the night, so you should spend the night at home. We've got things covered here,"_ her uncle replied.

"Are you sure? Is there anything you need us to bring or do?" she asked.

"_No, Finn brought us all clothes and things that we need."_ Then he seemed to think of something. _"Mind looking for some music to bring with you tomorrow? I think it'll be good for him. Did you or Puckerman tell the other kids what happened?"_

Having heard him, Puck spoke up. "I didn't tell them about the…you know, the rape. I told them he was hurt." Evangeline relayed this to Burt.

"_Alright, tell him thanks. Hey, do your parents know that you and Puckerman are alone in that house together?"_

"Er…yeah, of course," Evangeline replied quickly. The last thing she wanted was for Burt to call her parents to find out everything that had happened.

"_Okay then. I'm going to go check on Kurt, so I'll see you tomorrow. You two get some rest," _he replied.

"You too, Uncle Burt. Try to sleep at least a little bit tonight," she reminded him before they each hung up. Sighing, she fell back in bed next to Puck.

"You know you're going to have to tell him eventually," Puck mentioned.

"Not now. He has enough to worry about," she replied, turning on her side to face him. "It'll be fine. Kurt comes first right now." She smiled at Noah's raised eyebrow. "Let's order some takeout." With that, the conversation was left behind.

* * *

When Evangeline and Puck entered the hospital waiting room the next day, they were surprised to find the entire glee club present, along with Mr. Schue, David, Wes and a couple of other Warblers. "Hey, guys. Didn't expect you all to be here," she admitted. "Any news on Kurt?"

"He's woken up, feeling a bit better I guess. Burt and Blaine are in there with him now," Finn explained. "Once they're done, we'll go in groups of three. Mercedes, Rachel and Tina are first, then Quinn, Santana and Brittany. Mike, Artie and Sam will follow."

"Are we sure he's up for visitors today?" Puck asked. "That medication made him pretty loopy yesterday."

"Oh yeah, he said he wanted to see everyone and practically begged the doctor to lower his med dosage so he could be kind of there. He looks a little better today," Finn replied, smiling. Evangeline was happy to see her new cousin so optimistic. It made her feel hopeful for the first time in a while.

Blaine entered the room and every female began to fawn over him. It was odd for them to see him out of his uniform and in some of Finn's clothes, which were just a bit too big on him. Luckily, Wes and David thought to bring clothes for him, which he would change into once he had the chance. "How's Kurt?" "How you holding up?" "You look exhausted. Have you slept?" "You have to take care of yourself too."

"Ladies, I'm holding up as well as I can. Kurt wants to see you though, so I'm here to escort our first group." He certainly looked exhausted, but it seemed that dapper-Blaine was back for the moment. Perhaps it was Kurt's budding recovery that was lifting his spirits, for when Rachel, Tina and Mercedes entered the boy's hospital room, he had a smile on his face. His face was still bruised, but everything seemed a lot less swollen.

"Mercedes!" he said instantly and the girl was immediately at his side, holding him close.

"How are you holding up, white boy?" she asked with a smile. The fact that he was smiling made the rest of them easier than they had been originally. They knew it wasn't exactly an honest smile, but it was clear that Kurt was doing his best to cope.

"I'm alright, especially now that you're all here."

Rachel sat down on the other side of the bed and Tina stood next to her. "Kurt, my father's heard that you were attacked by some homophobic neanderthal and offered their guidance. They grew up here too…and they had a lot of things like this happen to them. So I hope you'll think about it," Rachel explained.

Kurt continued to smile. "Thank you, Rachel," he said. "I'd love to meet them."

Suddenly, a tall woman walked into the room. She had long, wavy, brown hair and matching chocolate eyes. There was something about her that was intimidating but also equally securing. Kurt and Blaine recognized her as Natalie Smolders, the inspector in charge of Kurt's case. "Mr. Hummel, I've some news," she said. "I'd like to speak to you and your father, and of course, Mr. Anderson." The three girls in the room knew that this meant they had to leave and fetch Burt.

When all mentioned parties, plus Carol, were present, the inspector continued. "David Karofsky was apprehended for questioning this morning, and, as he is a minor, his parents have been alerted of the situation. The semen collected during your examination is being tested as a match to his DNA as we speak. The problem is, even if this matches, it'll only stand as proof the intercourse between the two of you occurred, not that it was rape. The photographs of your injuries should help there, but you have to remember that we're in Ohio. In order to get a conviction, we have to convince a jury without any doubt that a rape occurred and not simply rough sex."

"This goes way beyond rough!" Blaine exclaimed, disgusted.

"I understand, Mr. Anderson. Trust me. Like I said, it's a problem because it becomes a battle of one person's word against the other's," she explained. "And it's going to be even more difficult because of Kurt's sexuality."

"Are you telling me—" Burt started.

"Mr. Hummel, I'm not saying I have anything against Kurt or the fact that he's homosexual, but you can't count on the jury being sympathetic to him. Lima, Ohio, remember? I'm just trying to tell you the odds you've got for a conviction," she told him.

"It's okay," Kurt said, silencing everyone. "Look, I don't want to be anywhere near Karofsky, but I don't necessarily want him put away in prison for the rest of his life. I want him to get help. He's obviously a really confused teenager."

"Kurt, he almost killed you!" Blaine reminded him. "I want to see him behind bars."

"That's not what's going to help, Blaine. You're the one who said you want to become a therapist for gay people without a support system and you want to just throw him in jail? He needs help. I'd be happy with a restraining order and forcing him to get some counseling, which I'm sure his parents will do after hearing what happened," Kurt explained. "Besides, you heard her. There's such a slim chance at conviction, Blaine. I'd feel safer knowing he was getting professional help."

"If that's your choice, we would still have to get that court-mandated in order to force Karofsky into going to counseling. We can definitely get you that restraining order. You'll still have to testify to get the counseling court-mandated. Is that okay?" she questioned.

Blaine didn't mistake the paleness of his boyfriend's face as he thought of this. "I really would rather not have to see him…"

"I understand. I'm afraid you'll have to see him just once more. I can set up a meeting with his parents if they're willing. They might already have plans to put him in counseling."

"Yeah, that sounds better. Where is Karofsky now?" Kurt asked.

"He's home. Since they don't have any proof on him yet, the police can't detain him," Natalie replied. Kurt nodded.

"Thank you, Inspector. Is that all for today?" Burt asked, eager to be finished with all of this business. Kurt felt much the same.

"Yes, I'm sorry I can't do more for you at the moment," she said, standing up.

"No, you've been really helpful," Kurt told her. "Thank you."

* * *

"So he doesn't want to press charges?" Evangeline asked incredulously after Burt explained what happened while standing in a secluded corner of the waiting room. "Uncle Burt, you can't let this happen! Karofsky's going to get off scott-free!"

"It's what Kurt wants, Eve. And he has a point. The kid needs help. As much as I want to see the fucker behind bars, I can't blame Kurt for wanting to wash his hands of this whole thing. Maybe it's a sign he's beginning to heal," Burt told her.

Evangeline sighed. "I guess so."

She could only hope that this was, indeed, a sign that he was healing, not simply pushing everything aside or trying to forget. Puck, seeing her deep in thought, approached her and pulled her into his arms.

"Everything's going to be okay," he said without even knowing what was wrong. Yet, she believed him.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** is glad to have internet access in his room.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**, **David Thompson** and **27 others** like this.

**Wes Richter**: Hey, it was great seeing you today! When are you coming back to Dalton? The Warblers are falling apart without you and Blaine.

**Kurt Hummel**: In two weeks, doctor's orders. I come home in a couple of days though. :)

**Mercedes Jones**: Can't wait to see you again BB!

**David Thompson**: Take your time getting back, Kurt, but know that we're all eager to have you singing again.

**Kurt Hummel**: Will do! Oh, Blaine's nagging at me to get off of the computer and to sleep.

* * *

**Rachel Berry** to **Mercedes Jones**: Mission K is a go.

**Mercedes Jones**: Mission K? We couldn't think of anything better than that?

**Santana Lopez**: Whatever, Wheezy, we were under a time constraint.

**Brittany S. Pierce**: Time constrained me for a week once.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I want in!

**Rachel Berry**: I'll text you.

**Quinn Fabray**: Don't let Puck bake the cupcakes this time.

**Noah Puckerman**: Hey, it worked, didn't it?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: What are you talking about?

**Quinn Fabray**: I'll PM you.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: No way. Noah!

**Noah Puckerman**: What? I man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

**Artie Abrams**: I let Mr. Schue know about it. He'll be there.

**Sam Evans**: I've got the carpool all figured out.

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: And I've got a mix of his favorite songs for when we're not performing.

**Rachel Berry**: Has everyone picked which songs they want to sing?

**Finn Hudson**: Yes, Rachel, we've got it. We just have to get Blaine in on it.

**Blaine Anderson**: What now?

**Finn Hudson**: Texting you.

**Blaine Anderson**: Ah, alright. I've got it.

**Rachel Berry**: Perfect. With Papa H in the loop, we'll know exactly when the festivities will begin.

**Quinn Fabray**: Shut up, Rachel.

**Noah Puckerman**, **Santana Lopez** and **7 others** like this.


	8. Mama Who Bore Me

**A/N:** The song in this chapter is Mama Who Bore Me from Spring Awakening, as well as it's reprise.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 8:** Mama Who Bore Me

"Guys, hurry up! They'll be here any minute!" Finn exclaimed as his fellow glee-clubbers joined by Wes and David rushed around to get the house set. There were streamers, a banner, music playing and food laid out on nearly every countertop. Everything was bright and festive, including the faces of the gleeks waiting for their friend to return home. Their plan was going perfectly. As Burt, Carol and Blaine rode home with Kurt, Blaine was texting Finn to update him on their location.

"They're pulling up in the driveway!" Tina yelled, looking out of the front window of the brand new Hummel house. "Hurry!" Everyone gathered in the small foyer so when Kurt walked in, he would be greeted by the faces of all of his friends.

"Okay guys, now don't yell too much. We'll just say welcome home. We don't want to scare him or make him anxious or anything," Finn explained.

The door swung open and immediately, the group burst into cheers and shouts of "Welcome home!" Kurt eyes lit up at the sight of his friends. He looked much better now that he was home. Granted he was still in pain and he hated the fact that his friends were seeing him in some of the only sweats he owned, he was so very happy to see them and touched by their surprise (though he suspected something after having seen a very suspicious Facebook conversation about a Mission K).

"Thank you guys so much," he said, smiling though the bruises on his face still ached as he did so.

"You look so much better, white boy," Mercedes said as she enveloped him in a careful hug, wanting to make sure she didn't pain him. It was true, what she'd said. Kurt did look better. Just the fact that he wasn't lying down in bed with a hospital gown on meant that there was improvement. His face still showed signs of bruising, but it wasn't swollen anymore. Even the way he moved was just a bit lighter than it had been when he was in the hospital, though he still limped due to Karofsky's worst offence.

After hugs and greetings, Kurt was carefully ushered into the living room, where he was served plenty of food (much of which went untouched due to the large amount). Once the food was served, the singing began. Sam and Quinn sang a sickeningly sweet duet, while Mercedes, Rachel, Evangeline and Tina belted out Broadway classics. Brittany and Mike danced around the living room. Santana went for Lady Gaga. When Mr. Schuester arrived, he sang some Frank Sinatra. The guys all sang to him as a group and Blaine serenaded him solo.

"You guys really didn't have to do this," Kurt told them, still smiling.

Brittany sat down next to Kurt on the couch, squeezing between him and Blaine. She wrapped her arms around both of them. "We'd do anything for my dolphins," she said proudly.

"And _wanted_ to do it. Seeing you in a hospital gown is a major turn off," Santana mentioned. "I totally needed this to get my mojo back."

"Dude, of course we were going to be here for your homecoming," Sam said from the other side of the room.

"I have the prettiest dolphins ever," Brittany said, looking from Blaine to Kurt and back again. "Can I watch you guys make out?"

Everyone went silent for a moment, taking in the sudden change in subject thanks to the one and only Brittany S. Pierce. "No!" Kurt finally replied, turning bright right, glad that Mr. Schuester was in the other room with the adults.

"Hey, look who's here!" came Burt's voice from the kitchen as he led two adults into the house and towards the living room.

Evangeline saw the pair and froze. The woman was a little plump and without very definitive bone structure. The man who followed her in had Evangeline's strong jaw and blue eyes. "Oh shit," Evangeline said upon seeing them. Puck and the female gleeks knew exactly who these people were without having to be introduced.

"Evangeline," said the woman flatly.

"Charlotte."

Burt ignored the tension between them. "We were wondering when you two were finally going to make it to Lima," he said cheerfully.

"Yes, well, we can only stay for the weekend before we'll be expected back in the city," Evangeline's father mentioned.

Evangeline didn't like where this was going. "So soon? But Simon, don't you feel bad leaving Evangeline alone in that house all the time?" he asked.

Looks of confusion were exchanged between the three adults, and then they stared at Evangeline, who was dedicated to looking at her feet until this whole mess disappeared. "Evangeline, why don't you tell your uncle what you've been up to," her mother suggested, as though it had been Evangeline's fault that she had to leave them.

"Uncle Burt, there's something I should have told you," she admitted, finally looking up at her uncle. "Can we talk?"

This is how Burt, Carol, Charlotte, Simon, Evangeline, Kurt and somehow Puck ended up in the dining room with most of the glee-clubbers listening at the door. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Burt asked.

Squirming, Evangeline nodded. "Well, when I wanted to leave New York for…various important reasons, my parents decided against it. I pretty much begged them to move to Lima. Then I found out why they didn't want us to go. It turns out that Charlotte and Simon have been taking money out of my bank account, where all of my money from modeling goes," she explained.

"What? Is this true?" Burt questioned, staring down his brother and Charlotte.

"That's family money. As Evangeline is just a minor, that money is technically ours," Simon mentioned. "It was always for the family."

"You spent it on clothes and cars and the hotel rooms where you meet your mistress!" Evangeline exclaimed. "And you!" she said, turning on her mother. "How much of _my_ money went to your 'conventions' in Atlantic City? That money should go towards my education, my security, not _your_ pleasure."

"Oh right. You forget you wouldn't even have that money if it weren't for me," Charlotte reminded her. "I was the one that got you into modeling as a child."

"Yes, you got me into modeling, even though I _hated_ it. And then when I wanted to quit and move away, you refused. Even when I told you what Jared had said and done to me! I felt I was in danger and you didn't care as long as I could fill your wallet!" Evangeline hated that she couldn't control the tears running down her face.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, danger?" Kurt asked. "Evangeline, why didn't you say anything?"

"Look, this is none of your business," Simon said to Burt. "I don't see why we have to talk about this right now. Evangeline has emancipated herself. She's no longer our daughter. That's it."

"It is my business when my niece is being mistreated by her parents," Burt replied. "You two have been working this girl to the bone to buy yourselves pretty things and you don't even realize that what you already have is so much better than that. You don't deserve to be Eve's parents. She's a great girl. She's determined and strong, and she does the right thing. Now she feels she needs to take care of herself because you never did. You taught her that she was a burden and look at her! She's a kid. A young lady. She should be able to rely on the adults in her life without feeling like a burden."

"Oh now look, Evangeline's turned us into the villains. What a surprise," Charlotte said sarcastically. "Putting Evangeline into modeling is what has made her a strong person. That's where she learned to be independent. I'm the one who did that."

"Didn't you hear? She didn't want to be a model, ass-hat," Puck interjected before Evangeline could shut him up.

Looking at the mohawk-bearing teen, Charlotte seethed. "Who the hell is this punk? Evangeline, please tell me this isn't your new squeeze."

"Fuck you," Puck replied, earning him some scandalized looks.

"Noah, leave it. Charlotte, I hated modeling. I hated that world. I don't want to do that with my life and I guess part of me expected you to understand that. You always made all of your own choices, but for some reason that made you feel like you were entitled to make mine," Evangeline explained calmly, wiping away remaining tears.

"Oh and what will you do with your life now? Go and be a musician like you wanted? Evangeline, that's as ridiculous as that stupid hair cut," Charlotte told her, gesturing to the girl's short hair.

That was enough. Evangeline stood up, and beyond all expectations of the others in the room, she sang.

_Mama who bore me_

_Mama who gave me_

_No way to handle things_

_Who made me so sad_

_Mama the weeping_

_Mama the angels_

_No sleep in heaven _

_Or Bethlehem_

"Oh yes, this is really helping. Go ahead. Express yourself," Charlotte said, seething with sarcasm.

_Some pray that one day_

_Christ will come a callin'_

_They light a candle _

_And hope that it glows_

_Some just lie their crying _

_For him to come and find them_

_But when he comes_

_They don't know how to go._

"Really, Evangeline, you're being ridiculous with all of this."

_Mama who bore me_

_Mama who gave me_

_No way to handle things_

_Who made me so sad_

_Mama the weeping_

_Mama the angels_

_No sleep in heaven _

_Or Bethlehem_

When she finished, Kurt banged on the table in a fashion that signaled the beat of the reprise of the song. The female glee-clubbers, who were among the crowd listening at the door, quickly came to Evangeline's aid.

_Mama who bore me_

_Mama who gave me_

_Mama the angels _

_Who made me so sad_

_Mama who bore me _

_Mama who gave me_

_No way to handle things _

_Who made me so sad_

_Mama the weeping _

_Mama the angels_

_No sleep in heaven _

_Or Bethlehem_

Santana and Rachel leaned across the table to get in Charlotte's face as they harmonized with Evangeline. The other girls danced around the room, stomping and singing. Evangeline looked at them, so touched at their support and the fact that they were there to defend her through song.

_Mama the weeping_

_Mama the angels_

_No sleep in heaven _

_Or Bethlehem_

When they finished, Evangeline leaned across the table to look her mother straight in the face. "I am a good singer. And I'm an even better violin player. These are things I actually enjoy. They make me happy. And as for my hair, you're jealous because you couldn't pull it off without people noticing your lack of a strong jaw, your wide, round face and your big ears. I look amazing. I have a boyfriend who loves me and wants me to be happy, not to make him loads of money. And he loves my hair. So fuck you," she said before pulling back before smiling at Puck, who winked in her direction.

"Evangeline! You might not be our daughter anymore, but you have no right to speak to your mother that way!" Simon interjected, seeing the shock on his wife's face.

"She's not my mother. I'm legally an adult and can speak to her as I please. And I'll tell you something else. Music and singing has helped me so much. You two expected me to be some robot who had no emotions, who just worked and got paid. But it made me miserable. Thanks to music, I have beautiful friends and a real family. Not one that will use me for money or assure me I'm overreacting when I feel I'm in danger," she said calmly.

"There you go again with the drama. You weren't in danger," Charlotte told her.

"I'm not going over this again, Charlotte. I told you what he said and if you don't believe me, well, that just goes to show that you're a shitty mom, as if we didn't already have enough proof of that. Money is the only thing that matters to you, to both of you. You never cared about my feelings. You were always caught up in your parties and your businesses and golfing and champagne and gambling away my money!"

Charlotte rose and raised her arm as though to smack Evangeline across the face, but Burt caught her wrist before the blow was struck. "You're forgetting something, Charlotte," he said. "Evangeline isn't legally your daughter anymore and if she were, I'd have both of you charged for abuse, neglect and extortion." Charlotte ripped her wrist out of Burt's hand. "Now get out of my house."

The two adults left the house in a huff as the glee clubbers shouted profanities and insults at them.

"You're not off the hook Evangeline. We'll talk later," Burt said to his niece before turning back to his guests. "Where'd the music go? This is a party right?"

Evangeline found Kurt, who hugged her instantly. "Kurt, I'm so sorry they showed up. I never expected them to come to Lima, especially not today," she said.

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad you got to say your piece. Now there's some closure, right?" he asked, to which Evangeline nodded. "So who's Jared?"

"It's not a really good time to talk about him," she said. "Let's return to the party."

It ended up being a great party, the girls raving about singing to Evangeline's mother on the spot and Mr. Schuester mentioning perhaps using it as a number in regionals since they sang it so well. More singing commenced, as well as wining and dining. But soon enough, the party was over and the guests filed out.

Just as Mr. Schuester was on his way, he placed a hand on Evangeline's shoulder. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here. And Miss Pillsbury too," he said, earning a smile from her as he left.

And then only Evangeline, Kurt, Burt, Carol, Finn, Blaine and Puck remained. "Alright, Eve. Let's have our chat," Burt said to her, guiding her into the dining room again to sit down at the table next to one another. "Why didn't you tell me what happened?" he asked.

Evangeline gave him a guilty look. "You already had so much on your plate with Kurt and Karofsky, and you'd just had your heart attack. I didn't want to add to that load so I bought my own house and kept it a secret," she explained.

"There's something else. There's some other reason you're not telling me," he said. How was it that Burt always knew these things?

"Maybe I thought you would take their side, that they would fool you into believing them or that you'd be angry with me," she told him.

"Evangeline, I would never be mad at you for doing something you had to do for yourself. If there's something you have to do to keep yourself safe or healthy or happy, then that's your choice and it will never make me stop loving you." He had a sad smile on his face now. "It makes me sad that you didn't trust me enough to believe you."

"I'm sorry. I was just scared."

"Of Jared. Care to tell me about this guy?"

This was the dreaded question. But she'd already kept enough from Burt, and it was time that she just came clean. "I met Jared at one my photo shoots. He's a pretty popular photographer. I was fifteen when we first met. He was twenty-one. We started going out, and it was okay originally. But then he started to get really jealous and possessive. He didn't want me to model for any other photographers or talk to other guys. If he saw an ad where I was with a male model, he got extremely jealous and claimed that I was cheating on him. Then he started getting aggressive about it. He said that I belonged to him, that he'd find me and kill me if I ever left." She was surprisingly calm as she told the story. Maybe it was a bit therapeutic to finally tell someone who would believe her.

"Did you tell someone?" Burt asked.

"I told Charlotte. She thought I was being dramatic. Even when I showed her some of the bruises I had—"

"Bruises? Evangeline, did this guy hit you?"

"He might have pushed me around a bit. There was only one time that was really bad and I don't remember most of it to be honest. I kind of just woke up with a headache and a lot of bruises, some blood in my hair. Bits of that night come back to me every once in a while. Charlotte still didn't listen to me. It was soon after that that I found out about the money and started the emancipation process. I told Jared that it was so we could live together and stayed with him up through the court proceedings. As soon as I bought the house here and was officially emancipated, I packed all of my things and left while he was out on a job."

Burt felt his mouth go dry. Had he known these things were going on, he'd have snatched Evangeline away from the city so quickly Jared wouldn't even know what had happened. But he'd been left in the dark once again, a fact that hurt far more than anything. That couldn't be his concern at the moment though. "Has this guy been in touch since you left?"

"He can't be. I changed my cell number, blocked his number, blocked his Facebook and his twitter, and I'm not listed in the phonebook," she replied.

"Evangeline, has he been in touch?"

She knew she had to tell him. There was no other way. She sighed and began. "That day that you met Blaine, Noah drove me home. I found a note inside the house that was in his handwriting, just saying that I couldn't run away from him. I called Noah and he came back and stayed with me until I got all of my locks changed and a bolt added and all the windows checked. I made him promise not to tell anyone because I didn't want you to worry. I was thinking about your health."

"Screw my health, Evangeline," Burt said sternly. "I'm tired of everyone assuming I can't handle something stressful because of my health. Do you know what's more stressful than being told these things? Finding out that you _weren't _told these things when your son ends up in the hospital, tortured by some sick _fuck_. That's what's stressful. I'll never forgive myself for what happened to Kurt. I'll be honest, I'm only just coping. If something happened to you too, I don't know what I would do."

Evangeline looked down at her lap, ashamed. Puck had been right. She should have just told Burt from the moment she received that letter. It had never been her intention to hurt anybody, just to protect. "I'm so sorry, Uncle Burt."

He grinned now. "Well, I forgive you, but only if you come to live with us instead of staying that house all by yourself. You can put your house up on the market or keep it if you want, but I want you under this roof," he told her.

"I couldn't. I'd be a burden and you've already got enough to worry about," she replied.

"Now what did I say about that? You're a kid. You should have a home and family." Looking at his face, she could tell he was completely serious, though he was still smiling.

"Alright, but only if you're sure you have the room."

"Of course, the guest room will become yours. But now we have to set some rules."

And that was how Evangeline, Kurt, Finn, Blaine and Puck ended up sitting in the dining room with Burt and Carol. All of the teens looked at the adults expectantly, feeling as though they were children who were about to be scolded. Only Carol's smile reassured them that none of them had crossed any lines. "Alright, here are some ground rules. One, curfew is at midnight unless you get our explicit permission to be out later. Two, boyfriends and girlfriends sleep on the couch. Three, when boyfriends and girlfriends are present, all bedroom doors remain open. Carol and I have the right to add and change rules as we please," Burt explained.

"Um…if Puck and Blaine are both staying tonight, which one is sleeping on the couch?" Evangeline asked.

Kurt spoke up first. "Could Blaine stay with me? I…I don't want to be alone," he admitted, looking down at his lap.

Burt had to carefully consider his options. He didn't feel comfortable having them sleep in the same bed under his roof. But he couldn't leave Kurt alone if the boy needed someone with him. "How about this? Evangeline, you share Kurt's room tonight. Blaine and Puckerman can fight it out for the guest room," Burt reconciled.

Blaine took one look at Puck and knew he didn't want to mess with him. "Puck can have the guest room," he offered.

"No, Blaine, you take the guest room. Noah can take the couch," Evangeline said with a smile.

"What? Why?" Puck whined.

"Because Blaine offered the guest room first. The gentleman wins," she concluded. "You can have the guest room next time this happens."

"Alright, so it's decided then," Burt said. "Everyone good?"

"Yes, it'll be just like our old sleepovers when we were kids," Kurt said to Evangeline happily.

"Oh boy, I expect to hear giggling all throughout the night then," Burt mentioned, remembering the two kids and how they kept him up with their laughter in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes he'd considered making them sleep in separate rooms, but they'd sounded so damn _happy_ that he simply couldn't. "Alright, it's been a long day and I think it's time we all get ready for bed and go to sleep."

* * *

After dressing in pajamas, Evangeline and Kurt cuddled in Kurt's queen-sized bed. The room was a decent size, though definitely not as large as the basement Kurt had before. However, it had a nice closet, which was what sold Kurt on making the switch. The walls were still a bare white, just like his basement had been, allowing him to keep most of his old furniture.

"So are we going to gossip all night like the good old days?" Evangeline asked, turning on her side to face him.

He did the same and took her hand in his. "Evangeline, why didn't you tell me about Jared? I overheard you talking to Dad," he admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me about Karofsky?" she asked in reply. "It's the same. We didn't want to worry one another. I'd heard that he was pushing you into lockers and that he threatened to kill you. And that I heard from the glee club. I never heard anything about the kiss until…you know…"

"I guess you're right. Just…don't let what happened to me happen to you, okay?" Kurt told her.

"Alright," she replied, pulling Kurt in for a hug so that his head rested on her shoulder and her arms wrapped around him. "So how are you feeling?" she asked, feeling his arms wrapping around her waist as though Kurt were searching for some warmth and comfort.

"Well, my ribs still hurt, but the medication helps with that. My face feels a lot better though," he told her.

Evangeline shook her head before resting it against Kurt's affectionately. "No, I mean, how are you _really_ feeling? About the whole thing?"

"I just want to put it all behind me." He sighed. "I'm seeing Dalton's counselor once I get back. Blaine said he's really good, so I thought I'd give that a try before making Dad shell out more money for a therapist. I'll be okay, Eve."

"I love you, Kurt."

"I love you too, Eve."

When Kurt felt the slowness of Evangeline's breath and was completely sure of her being asleep, he pulled out of her embrace gently to lie back on the bed and stare up at the ceiling. No matter how he tossed and turned, sleep wasn't agreeing with him. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Karofsky and the way the brute looked at him, could feel his hands on his body, the scruff of Karofsky's stubble on his cheek, could smell his sweat, could hear his labored breathing and grunts.

Looking over at his nightstand, there was a photo of his mother just a couple of weeks before she passed away. "I'm sorry, Mom," he whispered.

* * *

Eventually, Finn, Evangeline and Puck all returned to the hall of McKinley after days of taking care of Kurt in the hospital. It was eerie being there and expecting Karofsky to turn around any corner, but the boy seemed to be wisely absent. This, however, couldn't be said of the rest of the jocks.

All of the glee-clubbers walked down the halls together, a unit bent on staying together, all helping each other recover from the recent trauma. And they tried to do so with confidence. Evangeline and Puck walked with arms around one another, hoping to exude this confidence. Even Evangeline's outfit had been planned for this cause. She wore a short, maroon sweater dress that was belted around her waist, along with a pair of brown knee-high boots. Unfortunately, it was this outfit that eventually led to a bit of violence.

"Lookin' good, Hummel," said one of the jocks as various members hockey team passed the gleeks. When, Evangeline ignored him, walking straight past him, he obviously wasn't too happy. "I heard that fag cousin of yours got what was coming to him."

"Oh no he fucking didn't," Santana said as she and Evangeline spun around to attack the jock. Puck was on it, immediately wrapping an arm around Santana and Evangeline to keep them from getting caught up in the pile of guys throwing punches. Finn, Sam, and Mike led the charge, Sam getting the offending jock square in the jaw. Soon enough it was an all out brawl.

Meanwhile Rachel and Quinn ran to get Mr. Schuester, who immediately came back with them. "What is going on here?" he yelled and started pulling teenagers from one another. Santana and Evangeline struggled to become part of the mess, wanting to get their own punches in even as their teacher tried to stop the fighting.

A whistle caught everyone's attention as Coach Beiste and Sue Sylvester came upon the scene, having heard the disruption from down the hallway. "What the hell is going here? Break it up!" said the football coach and within minutes the three teachers had all of the teenagers in Figgins' office.

"Now which of you want to explain what happened?" asked the principal. At once, all of the teens began shouting their versions of the story. "One at a time! Evangeline, why don't you begin? The initial comment was made to you, yes?"

"Yeah, wolverine-wannabe over there said that my 'fag cousin' got what he deserved. Principal Figgins, it's people like this douche that made my cousin leave this school. Nobody does anything about it and when we, students, try to equal the playing ground, we're reprimanded," Evangeline told him.

"That doesn't excuse resorting to violence, Miss Hummel. I can't have teenagers fighting in my school," he replied.

"Oh, but it's okay for Karofsky to continually harass my cousin to the point where he's eventually assaulted. _That's_ okay in your school. When Coach Sylvester was principal she did everything she could to make this a safe place for Kurt, for everybody. The school board obviously isn't interested in that and it's my cousin who paid for it."

"Whatever, it's Hummel's fault for flaunting his fairy ass around all the time," said Wolverine-wannabe.

This time it was Mr. Schuester who kept Evangeline from jumping across Figgins' desk to rip the jock's eyes out. "You all have detention for the next week," Figgins decided. "If this happens again, I won't hesitate to suspend all of you."

"Evangeline and I didn't touch anyone," Santana told him. "And Puckerman held us back so you can't give him detention."

"Mr. Puckerman, I'll exclude you then. This doesn't change the fact, however, that you two would have been involved in the fight if he hadn't done so," Figgins reminded them.

"This is bull!"

"No way am I sitting in a room with these losers!"

"This is ridiculous!"

"Please, lower your voices," said Principal Figgins.

"Principal Figgins, you never do anything when the jocks torment the glee kids, but now that we fight back, you give _us_ detention. What do you expect us to do?" Finn asked. The other gleeks in the room looked at him with surprise as it was a legitimate argument and well-spoken.

"Finn does have a point," Mr. Schuester mentioned.

"Oh, you're just saying that because they're in your faggy glee club!"

"Mr. Samuels, please watch your mouth." He stopped to think for a minute and sighed. "Alright, no detention. I'll be calling all of your guardians to tell them what happened though. The next time this happens, you'll all be suspended." The students were relieved but still seething. "Now, get to class immediately."

* * *

Once Burt and Carol went to work, Blaine and Kurt were the only ones left in the house. "Blaine, are you sure it's okay for you to be missing so much school?" Kurt asked as they sat in the kitchen.

"Yeah, I told my parents about what happened and they had me excused. We'll both work together to get all of our homework done, so don't worry about it," he replied with a smile on his face. "I'm all yours."

Kurt smiled then too, at the idea of having Blaine all to himself. The fact that the house was empty besides them was also nice. The past couple days seemed to be filled with visits from his friends and being coddled by his father along with Carol, Finn and Evangeline. Blaine tended to coddle him a bit as well, but he was backing off after a couple days of Kurt being home. "Can we go somewhere?" he asked.

"I don't know. Your dad probably wants you to stay put since your ribs are still healing and all," Blaine replied, though he was encouraged by the fact that Kurt wanted to leave the house at all. "Where do you want to go?"

"I was thinking of visiting Mom," Kurt said, looking down at his lap. "I just want to talk to her a little bit."

This wasn't exactly a request Blaine could deny. Perhaps Kurt talking to his mother would help him sort out some of his feelings. So Blaine helped Kurt into the passenger seat of his car before heading towards the cemetery. Blaine had been lucky enough not to lose any of his family members. He had all four grandparents, his parents were healthy and his brother was as well. He'd never had to pull into a cemetery before. When he parked, Kurt smiled. "You can stay here. I should probably talk to her alone anyway."

"Are you sure? You're not exactly in the best shape right now," Blaine mentioned.

"Mom is right over there. You'll be able to see me from here. Don't worry so much," Kurt said as he got out of the car and began limping towards his mother. When he got to her tombstone, he placed a hand on the cold stone. "Hi, Mom. I'm sorry it's been a while. A lot has been going on lately and I got…caught up, I guess." He looked down at the ground where his mother was buried. "I really made a mess of everything. I keep making Dad worry about me. I've always tried to take care of him. I don't know why I did such a bad job this past year. I mean, I let him have a heart attack. And then I end up in the hospital." He couldn't stop the tears. "I'm so ashamed of myself, Mom. I'm a man. I should have been able to stop him, but I couldn't. And now I feel so disgusting. I don't want to think about it anymore, but it's always there. Even though Karofsky is nowhere near me, I can hear him and see him everywhere."

Frowning, he looked at the stone. "I don't know where you are, Mom. I don't believe in God, and I don't believe in Heaven. But I want to believe that you're somewhere because I can't stand the idea that you just don't exist anymore. I want you to hear me and tell me what you do, how to fix this. I wish you could have taught me more before you were taken away."

Just as Evangeline did a couple days earlier, Kurt started to sing:

_Mama who bore me_

_Mama who gave me_

_No way to handle things_

_Who made me so sad_

_Mama the weeping_

_Mama the angels_

_No sleep in heaven _

_Or Bethlehem_

"Kurt?"

The boy spun to look at Blaine who was walking towards him. "I'm sorry, Blaine. Were you waiting long?"

"No, not at all. I was wondering if you'd introduce me," Blaine said, nodding at the tombstone. "It's okay if you want me to go back to the car. I just figured…I've met your dad and all."

"Of course, come here," Kurt said with a smile on his face as Blaine came to stand next to him. "Mom, this is my boyfriend, Blaine. He's incredibly sweet and caring and funny and, as you can see, he's cute to boot. I love him very much."

"It's nice to meet you. You can trust me to take good care of your son. I love him too," Blaine said to the tombstone. He wrapped his arm around Kurt's shoulders and held him close. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect him. I hope you can forgive me. From now on, I'll always be there."

"Blaine—"

"I promise, Mrs. Hummel," Blaine finished before flashing Kurt that big grin of his and taking Kurt's hand in his own. Together, they said goodbye to Kurt's mother and walked back to the car.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** tagged herself, **Evangeline Anne Hummel**, **Santana Lopez**, **Rachel Berry**, **Quinn Fabray**, **Brittany S. Pierce** and **Kurt Hummel** in a video.

**Kurt Hummel**, **Noah Puckerman** and **57 others** like this.

**Kurt Hummel**: I'm going to ask this again, but how did you get this? You were singing too.

**David Thompson**: Once again, I took over.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Haha! Oh God, look at how horrified Charlotte looks.

**Rachel Berry**: We really should sing this for regionals. Fantastic for being on the spot, ladies.

**Santana Lopez**: We're hot ;)

**Wes Richter** likes this.

**Santana Lopez**: Hey there, prep boy.

**Wes Richter**: Why hello there

**Blaine Anderson**: Nice job, ladies. Evangeline's ex-parents are probably scarred for life thanks to your ferocity.

**Brittany S. Pierce**: I've never been to Ferocity.

**Artie Abrams**: Hun, it's not a city.

* * *

**Blaine Anderson**: **Brittany S. Pierce** is my favorite…besides **Kurt Hummel**.

**Kurt Hummel**: Nice save.

**Blaine Anderson**: ;)

**Brittany S. Pierce**: Dolphin love!

**Blaine Anderson** and **Kurt Hummel** like this.

* * *

**Noah Puckerman** to **Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I'm pretty sure your uncle thinks I'm a bad influence on you now. He gave me a pretty scary look when I came over.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: That's ridiculous. You're the one who stopped me.

**Noah Puckerman**: Did you tell him that?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Maaaaaybe…I'll tell him.

**Noah Puckerman**: Eve! What the hell?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I didn't think it was important! Don't worry, Noah. I'll let him know.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** to **Kurt Hummel**: Where have you been, BB? You never answered my text.

**Kurt Hummel**: Sorry, boo. I went to see Mom.

**Mercedes Jones**: You missed a pretty big brawl today.

**Kurt Hummel**: I heard all about it when Dad talked to Evangeline about it. Figgins called him at work, apparently.

**Mercedes Jones**: You should have seen her. It's a good thing Puck's got those big guns. He held back Evangeline and Santana.

**Noah Puckerman**: You know it.

**Santana Lopez**: Should have let us fight. Nobody gets away with saying shit like that.

**Kurt Hummel**: Guys, please don't get into any more trouble on my account. It doesn't matter what people say.

**Finn Hudson**: No way, man. It's so not right what that kid was saying.

**Sam Evans**: Yeah, seriously dude. And that douche kept going at it in Figgins' office too. Good thing Eve was there to talk back.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I'm jealous that you got to punch him in the face.

**Noah Puckerman**: Are you ever going to forgive me?

**Kurt Hummel**: Don't worry, Puck. She's just holding a grudge.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I'm not holding a grudge.

**Kurt Hummel**: We all know you would have decked him, Eve.

**Santana Lopez**: Damn straight, she would have. It would have been hot too.

**Kurt Hummel**: O_O

**Brittany S. Pierce**: Stop the violence.

**Rachel Berry**: I agree with Brittany. Getting half of the glee club suspended isn't going to help us win regionals.

**Santana Lopez**: Glad to see your priorities are in the right order, man-hands. I should have known you'd put the glee club above defending Kurt.

**Rachel Berry**: That's not what I'm saying! Like Kurt said, he's not at McKinley. It's not going to help him if we're all getting in trouble when he's not even there.

**Kurt Hummel**: For once, I agree with Rachel. Cut it out, guys.

**Rachel Berry** likes this.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** is drained.

**Santana Lopez**, **Sam Evans** and **15 others** like this.


	9. Not Alone

**A/N**: The song in this chapter is Not Alone sung by Darren Criss. Yeah, you knew it was coming. Let's face it. Thanks for reading as always!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 9**: Not Alone

Kurt couldn't imagine a more awkward situation. There he was, sitting in one of the interrogation rooms at the Lima Police Station. Next to him was his father. Inspector Natalie Smolders sat at the head of the table. But then across from them were Mr. and Mrs. Karofsky, both looking pale and exhausted. He couldn't imagine what it was like to be told your son was a rapist, without mentioning that the victim was a young man. "Kurt, w-we can't begin to tell you how sorry we are," said Paul. Kurt could see how difficult it was for him to even look at his son's victim.

"Mr. Karofsky, please don't. I know from our past meeting that you could have no idea what was going through Dave's head," Kurt replied. It wasn't the boy's parents' fault. It was this whole town, this place that was full of repression.

Mrs. Karofsky was a frail looking woman, especially next to her hulky spouse. "David never said anything about you or any confusion when it came to his sexuality. You'll understand that we're a bit shocked," she said in a surprisingly strong voice.

"Of course," Kurt told her. "I really appreciate you agreeing to talk with us. We wanted to avoid going to court." He left out that he wanted to avoid ever seeing their son again. "I really don't want Dave to go to jail. My main concern is that he gets help and that he has support. Before…what happened…I would have been fine talking to him about it, but he didn't want my help."

"Gina and I have planned to set him up with a therapist for some counseling. He's already been to see a couple different doctors. We're just looking for the right fit now. I want to assure you that had David told us that he was homosexual, we'd support him one-hundred percent. And we'll support him now as he gets help," Mr. Karofsky explained.

Kurt smiled a small smile. "That's great to hear, Mr. Karofsky."

"We were wondering, Kurt, if you could fill some of the blanks for us," said Mrs. Karofsky. "We really want to understand everything that's happened so we can help him better. If you could tell us what led up to this…"

Kurt explained the bullying, the kiss and the death threat. "He threatened to kill me if I told anyone about the kiss, not the bullying. I wouldn't have told anyone anyway. I know how hard it is to come out so I wasn't about to force him out of the closet." Then he told them about the text messages. "I'm still not sure if they're from him or someone else, but they've stopped since…what happened." It was difficult to talk about without squirming.

"Thank you so much for meeting with us. We appreciate it," Burt said, seeing that Kurt had really had enough.

"Of course, Mr. Hummel. Again, we can't express how sorry we are," Mrs. Karofsky said as the adults each shook hands.

"Please, keep us updated on how David is doing. Kurt's been adamant about making sure that he's helped," Burt told her.

"Yes, definitely. We're so grateful for that. You're a good person, Kurt. Never in a million years would I expect anyone to act as you have in such a situation," Paul told the teenager while shaking his hand. "Take care of yourself, Kurt. If there's anything you need, feel free to call."

"If that's all, please follow me out," Natalie said, a smile on her face. Kurt had nearly forgotten that she was there. She had remained silent the entire time, simply watching the exchange between parties. Kurt gave her a grateful look, mouthing a silent thanks to her as they made their exit.

* * *

"It went well," Kurt told Blaine before lying down on his bed. When Blaine gave him a worried look, he frowned. "Really, it did. It was just hard talking to them. I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't their fault, and they kept apologizing. But they've put him in counseling and they're looking for a good therapist, so I'm happy."

"Kurt…"

"I'm fine, okay? I just need to put this all behind me now. I'm never going to see him ever again," the brunette said as he felt the mattress dip under Blaine's added weight. "I can't wait to get back to Dalton. Sitting around here all day is starting to make me nervous."

Blaine smiled. "Just a couple more days. And tomorrow is Saturday so Finn and Evangeline will be here. You won't be stuck with just me all day," he reminded Kurt.

"That's not what I mean and you know it. I love spending time with you. I wish it were under different circumstances…" he trailed off closing his eyes.

Kurt jumped slightly when he felt Blaine's hand on his stomach as the dapper boy moved in to lie next to him. His mind was playing tricks on him, making him question just who was touching him, even though he knew he and Blaine were the only two in the room. Feeling him jump, Blaine immediately retracted the hand. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, sorry. Just a little jumpy, I guess," he replied.

"Kurt, you have to tell me if you don't want me to touch you. I don't want to hurt you ever," Blaine said, sitting up next to Kurt now.

Kurt grasped the retreated hand tightly. "That's not it. I just…I just wasn't expecting it. I think it's easier if I'm looking at you," he admitted.

"Then look at me," Blaine said, and Kurt did. He looked straight into the boy's olive eyes, and when that hand touched his hip, he wasn't scared. Blaine took his place again, facing Kurt on the bed and rolling Kurt so he did the same. "Tell me if you need me to stop." Kurt nodded, afraid to speak as the hand on his hip moved up his side, up his neck before placing itself on Kurt's jaw. This was followed by Blaine's lips covering Kurt's in the softest of kisses. Having Blaine this close made him the tiniest bit nervous, but he kept his eyes open, focused on the boy in front of him and remained calm.

The hand on his face moved and the arm attached to it wrapped itself around Kurt's waist, slowly pulling them closer together so their bodies touched, but only just. The lips returned, but this time they were on his cheek, then on his jaw and then on his neck before lingering near his collarbone. Hands ran across Kurt's back sensually and slowly. Everything was slow.

Kurt gasped as Blaine's hand softly caressed the skin under the hem of Kurt's shirt. Upon hearing the gasp, the hands stopped for a moment. "Are you alright? We don't have to keep going," Blaine told him. The goal was to make Kurt feel good not scared.

"No, it's fine. Go on," Kurt replied, still looking at Blaine's face. He brought a hand up to touch that face and felt the stubble that had begun to develop on Blaine's face as he became less concerned with his appearance and more focused on Kurt. Encouraged by Kurt's touch, Blaine leaned in to kiss the other boy's lips before moving to his neck once more.

The feel of stubble on his face as hands travelled up his shirt made Kurt tremble. His eyes were open but try as he might to focus on the black curls confirming that this was Blaine, all he could see and feel was Karofsky. With all the strength he had, he pushed Blaine away and scrambled off of the bed and onto the floor, where he curled into a ball. "Oh my God, Kurt." Blaine was moving across the room and looking at the image of his boyfriend trembling and crying in the fetal position, afraid to come near him, to touch him. "Kurt, talk to me. Tell me what happened." He kneeled next to Kurt, placing a hand delicately on his back.

"Y-Your stubble…and y-you touched me where h-he touched me," Kurt gasped, peeking up over his knees at Blaine. "I couldn't see your face anymore."

"Jeez, Kurt, I'm so sorry. I'll remember to shave from now on," he replied. "And we'll go slower."

"Blaine…" He sniffled and wiped tears away. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. You deserve better than this. Like…someone who can stand to be touched without freaking out."

The curly-haired boy took Kurt into his arms, making sure not to hold him too tightly for fear of frightening him again. "Kurt, I love you. There's nowhere I'd rather be than here, helping you and being with you. I want…no, I need to see you get through this."

"I don't know if I'll ever get through this."

"You will. I know you will. We just have to take it one step at a time and everything will be fine," Blaine said, and at this point, he wasn't sure if he was saying it for Kurt or for himself. Seeing Kurt trying to cope, trying to tell himself everything was fine when he was falling apart broke Blaine's heart. "It'll be okay."

Kurt pulled back to look at him. "What if it isn't? What if I'm like this for the rest of my life? I don't want you to stay just because you pity me or feel some kind of obligation to me, Blaine. And I don't want to keep you from being happy…"

"No. Kurt, you have to stop talking like this," Blaine told him, his hands coming up to frame Kurt's face. "The only way I can possibly be happy is if I can somehow make you happy too. Don't you understand that?"

The other boy hesitated before nodding. "Please don't leave me," he said, grasping onto Blaine's shirt.

"Never."

Blaine held him for a while until the tears stopped and the trembling calmed. "I love you," Kurt whispered.

"I love you too."

They smiled at one another, and for a moment, everything was calm.

"Kurt!" The moment was ruined by the sound of Evangeline entering the house and yelling up the stairs for Kurt. "Kurt! I need your help!"

Kurt smiled, pressing a kiss on Blaine's forehead, and stood from their spot on the floor before heading towards the hallway, where he met Evangeline on the stairs. "What's going on?" he asked, suddenly concerned with the fretful look on his cousin's face. She was pale, wide-eyed and trembling a little bit. "Oh Gaga, Evangeline, what happened?"

"Noah invited me to his house…to meet his mom."

* * *

Evangeline nervously looked at her heeled shoes as she waited in the foyer of Noah Puckerman's home, wearing the Michael Kors gray belted stretch-wool dress that Kurt had chosen for the occasion. She wanted something modest, but still fashionable to wear when she met the mother of her boyfriend. When Noah had met Burt, Evangeline hadn't even thought of the fact that she'd eventually have to meet Noah's mother. Her nerves caught her by surprise. Never had she been so nervous just to meet someone before.

"Eve, calm down. She'll love you," Puck told her, taking her hand into his before bringing it to his lips.

Then she came down the stairs and Evangeline became even more nervous. She looked like a sweet enough woman, standing at an inch shorter than Evangeline with the same dark features as Noah. She was a precious little bundle of a person. "Evangeline! It's so nice to finally meet you. Noah has been talking nonstop about you for weeks," she said, enveloping Evangeline in a slightly awkward hug due to Evangeline's raised height with her heels.

"Y-Yeah, it's about time Noah brought me around to meet you," she replied, to which Noah raised a brow, smirking at her.

"I heard about what happened to your cousin. I hope Kurt's making a swift recovery," the woman said.

"Thank you. He's doing as well as can be expected," Evangeline replied.

Their conversation was interrupted when a little girl appeared on the stairs, who Evangeline immediately assumed was Sarah, Noah's little sister. She looked to be about ten years old and the resemblance between her and Noah was unmistakable. Before Evangeline could introduce herself, however, she took one look at the blonde before running back into her room.

"Um…" Noah started, "…she's shy."

But Sarah reentered a moment later, clutching magazines to her chest as she ran down the stairs. Evangeline recognized the magazines as her cover shoots for _Vogue_, _Vogue Italia_ and _Bazaar_ and was slightly embarrassed that she was recognized. "Noah, why didn't you tell me you were dating _this_ Evangeline?" she asked, thrusting the magazines into Noah's hands. She turned to Evangeline, smiling widely. "You're my favorite!"

"Since when have you been into fashion?" Noah asked.

"Noah, please, you've barely been around enough to know," his mother mentioned.

Sarah didn't care about the conversation going on between her mother and brother. All she could see was the model in her favorite magazines here in the flesh. "What's it like being a model? Is it fantastic? I'm Sarah, by the way. I love your pictures. You're so pretty in real life too," she rambled, causing Evangeline to laugh nervously.

"Nice to meet you, Sarah. You know, if you're into fashion, you should really talk to my cousin, Kurt. He's the real pro in the family," she said, reaching out to shake Sarah's hand.

Sensing that Evangeline was a little uncomfortable with the conversation, Noah changed the subject. "You know, Eve is also a really great musician. There are some great videos of her singing and playing the violin," he said, remembering that they'd talked about college plans when he met Burt. "She's planning on auditioning for some great music schools after high school."

This piqued Ms. Puckerman's interest. "Really? You don't want to continue modeling? You do it so well," she said, smiling as she looked at some of the magazines Sarah had brought down.

"I decided it's not really for me," she said simply, not caring to elaborate.

"Why don't we have dinner?" Noah suggested, guiding Evangeline towards their small dining room.

Dinner proved to be Ms. Puckerman's chance to interrogate, though whether she was interrogating Evangeline or Noah was anyone's guess. "What religion do you practice, Evangeline?" she asked almost as soon as they sat down to eat. Noah groaned. He knew his mother really wanted to him to settle down with a nice _Jewish_ girl. He hoped it was enough that he was settling down with a _nice_ girl.

"Well, I was raised Catholic, but I don't practice as thoroughly as most. I believe in a more private relationship with God," she said, hiding her nerves well enough. She was almost too nervous to eat, but managed that as well. "I love that faith is so important to Noah."

"Oh, well, I'm so happy Noah finally brought home such a nice girl," she replied, smiling. Noah nearly sighed with relief. Evangeline, on the other hand, caught the small quip at Quinn, knowing that she'd lived with them for a short amount of time during her pregnancy. "Has Noah told you about the baby he had with Quinn?"

At that, Noah nearly spit out his dinner. "Mom!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, he told me all about Beth. You should be proud of how he took responsibility for his actions," she replied, taking Noah's hand under the table. He squeezed her hand, relieved to have her support.

"You don't mind that he's fathered a child at such a young age?"

"No because he did right by Quinn. Everyone makes mistakes. It takes a real man to take care of Quinn the way Noah did," Evangeline answered, turning to smile at him.

It was definitely time to change the subject. "So, Mom—"

"It doesn't bother you at all?"

It was going to be a long dinner.

* * *

"You're sure your mom is okay with me staying the night? Uncle Burt thinks I'm at Rachel's," Evangeline told Puck as she came out of the bathroom attached to his bedroom wearing one of his over-sized t-shirts and a pair of his boxers.

"Yeah, I think she really likes you. Thinks you're way too good for me apparently," he replied, causing her to laugh. "You look good in my clothes." He smirked, watching the way her shoulder peeked out of the neckline of the t-shirt. Lying on his bed, he had a nice view of how she had to roll the waistband of his boxers in order to get them to fit her slim hips.

"Oh yes, we should see what you look like in my clothes. Try not to stretch my dress out though," she jibed, gasping when he reached over to pull her by the wrist, causing her to fall into his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiled at him fondly. "You know, I really meant all of those things I said to your mom. I think you're incredible for dealing with everything last year."

He smiled in return. "I'm sorry she asked you about it. She's not really used to me bringing girls home, and it didn't exactly make a good impression when the first girl I did bring home was pregnant," he said. "She and Quinn didn't exactly get along."

Evangeline leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I know it wasn't too long ago. I never even asked you how you felt about giving Beth up. I'm sorry I'm always so focused on my own problems…or Kurt," she told him, pulling him in close so that her cheek rested against his.

"I'm okay. It was difficult, but Quinn had it worse than me. I guess I felt like I never had a chance to be a father to Beth, but Quinn made the right choice. Neither of us would have been ready to be parents. And we knew that Shelby woman would be a good mom," he explained, burying his face in the junction between Evangeline's neck and shoulder. "I'm happy with the way things are now, but I think I'll always wonder what it would have been like to be her father."

Evangeline pulled back to smile at him. "You're way braver than I'll ever be," she said truthfully.

He laughed. "You seriously think that? You're the one who picked up your entire life and moved to Lima all by yourself. I can't imagine leaving without my Mom's support."

"Don't forget I was also running away from something." The smile disappeared and she rolled so that she was lying next to Puck, staring up at the ceiling.

"Jared? Dude, that guy was a douche. I won't let him near you," Noah replied. "I can't believe he threatened to kill you."

"How'd you know that?" she asked, craning her neck to look at him.

"Well…I might have been listening at the door with Kurt when you and Mr. Hummel were talking," he admitted sheepishly, laughing when she punched him playfully in the shoulder. "I was worried, and you weren't telling me everything."

"You're lucky you're so handsome," she replied, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. "Otherwise, I'd hold a grudge."

Puck smiled and pulled the covers out from under them so they could snuggle under the warmth of the blankets. Reaching over, he turned the one lamp off, leaving them to stare at one another in the darkness, the only remaining source of light the streetlights filtering through the room's curtains. Evangeline immediately curled her body against Puck's, her head resting against his naked chest. His arm instinctively wrapped around her waist to pull her closer as he leaned down to place a kiss against the top of her head. "I miss this, sleeping in the same bed. Your uncle always makes me sleep on the couch," he said as he felt her arm resting across his stomach.

"I know. He'll warm up to the idea of us sharing a room sooner or later though," she replied. "He knows you're a good guy."

"Does he?" Puck asked.

"Of course…" Before Noah could ask more, he realized that Evangeline's breathing had slowed to the content pace of slumber.

* * *

_It was a normal day for Evangeline. She'd just finished a modeling gig for _Burberry _and let herself into Jared's apartment. He had a shoot all afternoon, and she knew he wouldn't be home until later. This would give her ample time to make a nice dinner for the two of them, slip into something pretty and set up the table. It wasn't their anniversary, nor was it Valentine's Day or any other holiday. She simply had a good day and wanted to spend a nice night with her loved one. Oh sure, they'd had their fights lately, but it was nothing a nice dinner and some fooling around wouldn't solve._

_Evangeline felt like a fifties housewife as she prepared dinner, a simple roast pork-loin and some veggies on the side. Everything was going according to plan. She hopped in the shower, dressed in her new purchase, a classy champagne-colored, strapless dress that ended at her thighs and cinched around the waist to give her a flattering shape. Everything was going to plan. Makeup and hair was done, dinner was out on the table and just as Jared should have been getting home._

_He didn't come home. Waiting, Evangeline fell asleep on the couch._

_She was only woken by the slam of the front door. Jolting awake, she scrambled to make herself presentable again, her dress wrinkled and her makeup smudged. But as she got to the entrance of the apartment, she found that it didn't matter anymore. There was Jared, his black hair untidy, his suit far more wrinkled than her dress, his shirt half-untucked. She could smell the alcohol from a couple feet away. Vodka. "Jared? What happened?" she asked. _

_Instead of answering her, he grabbed her by the shoulders, slamming her against the nearest wall before thrusting a magazine in her face. It was from a shoot she had with a male model. They were both quite naked, covered cleverly by text and minimal amounts of fabric. The other model had been nothing if not a complete gentleman, and they worked well together. "What the hell is this?" Jared asked. "Didn't I tell you what I thought of shoots like this?"_

"_Jared, you know how this works. This is a job! I would never cheat on you," she replied._

_He slammed his lips against hers hard enough to bruise. "You belong to me," he said, breathing heavily as he dragged his lips down her neck. The smell and taste of his vodka was overwhelming. _

"_Stop. You're drunk, Jared. Go to bed and we'll talk about this in the morning," Evangeline told him. But as she went to push him away, he grabbed her again and suddenly, she was on the ground, pain swelling in the back of her head. _

"_I don't want you around these other guys!" Her head was spinning as he grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her back up to her feet. Even as she let her knees buckle, his grasp remained strong. "If you leave…I will kill you."_

_With that, she found herself on the ground again, back and head aching. Before she could register much else, everything was dark._

Evangeline woke with a start, gasping as she jumped to a sitting position. She could hear the rustling of sheets next to her as Puck rubbed at his eyes and shifted his body. "Everything alright?" he asked.

She couldn't be sure what brought it on, but all of the sudden, she remembered everything from that night. She could see the way he looked at her, the fire and alcohol in his eyes, the fury of his hands as they grasped her, the pain and the bruises. Before, she'd only remembered his threat and waking up the next morning feeling like she'd been in some sort of accident. Then there had been the week where she'd had to cover up her bruises with makeup. The bruises that Charlotte hadn't cared about.

"Eve, babe, what's going on?"

Jumping at the sound of his voice, Evangeline laid back down, reclaiming her spot on his chest. "Nothing, I'm fine. Just had an odd dream."

"Eve, you're shaking. Seriously, what's up?"

"I'm a little cold. Mind holding me closer?" she asked. Puck knew he wasn't going to get a straight answer from her and gave up on the notion, instead pulling her in closer and maneuvering the blankets so they remained warm throughout the rest of the night.

"Love you," he said.

"Love you too, Noah."

* * *

Kurt watched as the emotions shifted across Mercedes' face going from confusion, to anger, to sadness and finally to a synthesis of all three. "I wasn't going to tell anyone else, but you're my best friend, Mercedes. I don't think I can get through this without you knowing exactly what happened to me," Kurt explained. "I'm still thinking of telling the rest of New Directions what happened, but they might be better off not knowing."

The two were sitting in Kurt's bedroom for some best-friend bonding before Kurt's departure for Dalton the next day. It turned into a confessional.

Mercedes was now pacing across the room, mumbling to herself as though trying to get her thoughts in order. "Kurt, why didn't you tell me? And how is Karofsky getting off free after this?"

It was a guilty look that crossed Kurt's face. "I was embarrassed. I wish my family didn't know, but they do, plus Blaine and Puck, which is embarrassing enough. I know I'm gay and everyone expects me to be some weak little fairy, but that never changed the fact that I'm a man. I should have been able to do something, to stop him, and I couldn't. I didn't want anyone to know," he explained.

Sitting down on the bed next to him, Mercedes frowned. "Kurt, you're still a man. What happened to you isn't your fault. Karofsky is a big guy. I know a lot of people who wouldn't be able to fight that brute off. Look, I just know that you can't sit around blaming yourself for this or being embarrassed about it. I think if you tell the rest of New Directions, they'd really appreciate it and be really supportive. We all love you, Kurt," she said, smiling now.

"Thanks, Mercy. You always know exactly what to say," he replied with a smile. "I guess I could tell them. I mean, I'm pretty sure Finn already told Rachel, so everyone probably already knows."

"Boyfriend did what?" Mercedes asked, angered again. "What right does he have to tell anyone?"

"Mercedes, it's alright. Finn needs someone to talk to about this. He's been suffering a bit of a big brother complex lately. It's sweet of him," Kurt explained.

She seemed to accept this, calming down again. "So how are you and Blaine doing then? I'm sure it's difficult for you guys after what happened…" she trailed off, not knowing what to say about such a tender subject.

This was the question that had Kurt balking and curling his body up into a ball. "I freak out when he touches me if I can't see his face. I'm so scared that he's going to get tired of all this and leave me," he told her.

"Oh boy, I knew you couldn't be handling all this as well as you said you were. Kurt, you have to let yourself depend on other people a little bit. I know Blaine wants to be there for you; I could see that at the hospital. He's the one who was always making sure you were as comfortable as possible, or holding you while you slept, or trying to keep you as sane as possible while you were hopped up on meds. He's not going anywhere," she said.

Kurt covered his face in his hands now. "I know that, Mercedes. But nobody wants a boyfriend who can't be touched. I feel so repulsive that even if didn't see Karofsky every time I close my eyes, I still wouldn't want to be touched by someone as wholesome and deserving as Blaine. He's so perfect, my white knight, and he deserves better than the trash that I've become. Gaga, I'm such a cliché!" he cried.

"Kurt, look at me." The calm sound of her voice had Kurt obeying her command, lowering her hands, one of which she took in her own to lace her fingers through his. "When I look at you, I don't see trash, and I never will. Okay, baby? You're the best friend I've ever had, and I'll be damned if I let you sit here and depreciate yourself like this. So, this is what we're going to do. When Evangeline gets back from Puck's, we're going shopping. I know this is going to take more than some retail therapy, but it's a good place to start."

"I love you, Mercedes," he told her, pulling her in for a hug, which she immediately reciprocated.

"I know. I love you too, white boy."

When they pulled back, Kurt realized they had been talking about him for quite some time. "While we're waiting for Eve, why don't you tell me what's been going on in your life? How are things going with you and David?" he questioned.

Mercedes sighed. "Things are going nowhere. He keeps saying he doesn't want to put a label on what we have. He's a nice guy, and I really like him a lot. I just wish he'd man-up and tell me what he wants," she explained.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Well, I have a plan. Don't you worry about it," she replied with a smile. The two giggled and chatted until Evangeline arrive at the house and they left for the shopping excursion.

* * *

It had been a good day. Upon arriving home, the idea of shopping was a welcome one to Evangeline. She needed the distraction as certain images proved impossible to remove now that she had regained memories of that night. But going out with Kurt and Mercedes had proven itself a great way to forget once more as they rifled through racks of sales items. They returned to the Hummel household with bags of new purchases. It was exactly what she'd needed to feel a little more confident again.

Now she, Blaine, Finn and Puck sat on the couch in the living room, watching sports. Normally, Evangeline would be hanging out with Kurt during this time, but the boy was still in the shower, leaving her to find her own entertainment since Mercedes had left to have dinner at home.

"Kurt's been in the shower for a while," Puck commented.

"Yeah, he takes some pretty long showers. Said something about the steam being good for his skin," Finn replied, causing Blaine to chuckle.

"Eve, you want to go tell him to hurry?" Carole asked from the kitchen. "Dinner's almost ready." Grateful for the excuse to leave the sports-distracted boys, she accepted and walked upstairs towards the door to the bathroom.

Knocking on the door got her no answer. "Kurt?" Nothing. The shower was still running and she hadn't seen him in his room as she passed. "Kurt, come on." Turning the knob, she found that he'd left the door open. "Kurt?" she asked as she peeked her head into the bathroom, not wanting to disturb his privacy, but worried when he hadn't answered her. The sight she received was far more worrying than any silence ever was. "Oh fuck! Kurt!"

Through the glass of the shower door, she could see Kurt in huddled in the corner, once against in the fetal position as the shower-head continued to beat water down on him. He was trembling, his lips a deadly blue, offsetting the awful rusty red that swirled around the shower drain. Kurt ignored her calls as he continued to scrub and scratch at himself, looking as though he were trying to get rid of some invisible smudge. His skin was red and raw, and he was actually bleeding from some of the scratches. The most terrifying part was his face. He wore a blank expression, his blue lips in a tight line, and there were large circles underneath his deadened eyes.

"Blaine!" Evangeline screamed. She could hear the thunder of footsteps beneath her and knew a stampede of people was running up the stairs. Quickly, she grabbed a towel and opened the shower to turn off the freezing cold water. Why Kurt was taking such a cold shower was beyond her, but she ignored the thought, wrapping the towel around Kurt's shivering form. His vacant eyes didn't acknowledge her presence.

"What's going on here?" Burt asked from the doorway before Blaine pushed himself into the bathroom.

"I found him like this. He's bleeding and freezing," she replied hysterically, holding him in her arms. "We have to get him out of here."

"Shit, Kurt," Finn said as he joined them, a hand covering him mouth. Puck silently observed from behind him.

Blaine immediately moved to take Kurt into his arms, carrying him bridal style past the others and into the hallway. When they reached the bedroom, he placed Kurt on the bed and began wrapping blankets around him. Evangeline went to retrieve their first-aid-kit, returning with Carol and bandages for the boy's arms, legs and back, where most of the damage had been done.

The entire time, Blaine held him, pressing his face against Kurt's cold, wet hair. Shooing the guys besides Blaine from the room, Evangeline and Carol had Kurt all bandaged up and wearing the warmest pair of flannel pajamas they could find. "Kurt," Blaine said, as they rewrapped him in blankets. "Kurt, talk to me."

Opening his eyes to look up at Blaine, Kurt bit his lip. "I-I feel so dirty. I'll never be c-clean again," he replied. Blaine couldn't believe this was the same boy who'd had such a wonderful shopping day with Mercedes and Evangeline just hours earlier. He was in a completely different state of mind, a change which happened within an hour of his coming home. "I thought if I k-kept scrubbing it would go away, b-but it wouldn't."

"Kurt, you're not dirty. You're fine, but you can't do this to yourself."

"Yes, I am!" he cried. "Why don't you just leave? Then, at least, I can stop wondering when you're going to go!" At this, Carol motioned for her and Evangeline to leave the room, leaving the two to talk. Upon exiting, they saw that the males were all leaning against the wall next to the door, listening in with nervous expressions on their faces. Carol beckoned the group to come downstairs with her to give them their privacy.

"I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to stay here with you as long as you want me. And I'm going to make sure that eventually you believe me when I say that you're perfect to me. You're so beautiful and kind and funny. We'll both cope with what happened together."

Kurt didn't say anything. He simply wrapped his arms around Blaine's middle, crying into his chest. Blaine smiled and embraced Kurt before starting to sing in a soft, comforting tone.

_I've been alone_

_Surrounded by darkness_

_I've seen how heartless_

_The world can be_

_I've seen you crying_

_Feel like it hopeless_

_I'll always do my best_

_To make you see_

_Baby you're not alone_

_Cause you're here with me_

_And nothing's ever gonna bring us down_

_Cause nothing can_

_Keep me from loving you_

_And you know it's true_

_It don't matter what'll come to be_

_Our love is all we need to make it through._

Kurt's sobs turned into sniffles and his sob-wracked body calmed into trembling slightly. Blaine's voice had this power over him to make him forget, to make him happy again, something he didn't think was entirely possible. This was the boy he loved. Maybe it was about time he believed him when he said he wasn't going anywhere.

_I still have trouble_

_I trip and stumble_

_Trying to _

_Make sense of things sometimes_

_I look for reasons_

_But I don't need 'em_

_All I need is to look in your eyes_

_And I realize_

_Baby you're not alone_

_Cause you're here with me_

_And nothing's ever gonna bring us down_

_Cause nothing can_

_Keep me from loving you_

_And you know it's true_

_It don't matter what'll come to be_

_Our love is all we need to make it through._

When he finished singing, Kurt continued to cling to him. "I love you," he whispered. For the first time since arriving home from the hospital, Kurt fell asleep.

"I love you too," he said, kissing the boy on the forehead. "I only hope that you'll believe me someday."

* * *

When the couple woke the next morning, Kurt had a smile on his face. Blaine didn't know what happened, but everything seemed to be turned around. He knew there was still much to recover from, but seeing that smile gave him hope that they were on their way. When they got back to Dalton, their friends and a counselor would be waiting for them, ready to help them on the rest of their journey towards physical and emotional health. A return to a steady schedule wouldn't hurt either.

"I smell bacon," Kurt said. "Let's see what's for breakfast."

It was the first time Kurt had actively sought out food. So when he bounded down the stairs to cheerfully see what Carol was making, there was hope written on the faces of his family members. "I made you a nice big breakfast for your return to Dalton," Carol told him as she made him a plate of pancakes, eggs and bacon. "You ready to go back to school?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

His smiles had everyone optimistic as they loaded up the car.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** loves his family but is glad to be back at Dalton.

**Blaine Anderson**, **Wes Richter** and **25 others** like this.

**Mercedes Jones**: I'll miss you, BB! Keep texting.

**Kurt Hummel**: Will do!

**Finn Hudson**: Take care of yourself, bro.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Don't forget to call if you ever need to talk. Love you!

**Brittany S. Pierce**: I love you, Dolphin!

**Kurt Hummel**: :D

* * *

**Blaine Anderson** has the most beautiful, talented and wonderful boyfriend in the entire world.

**Kurt Hummel** likes this.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: Agreed ;)

**Santana Lopez**: Wanky

**Blaine Anderson** likes this.

* * *

**David Thompson** is happy to have **Kurt Hummel** and **Blaine Anderson** back, but could do without their lovey-dovey mushy-gushyness.

**Blaine Anderson**: Jealous!

**Mercedes Jones**: Ain't nothing wrong with two people making it known that they love each other.

**Kurt Hummel** likes this.

**Blaine Anderson**: Better watch what you say, Thompson.

**Mercedes Jones** likes this.

**David Thompson**: O_O

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** could really use a spa day. Next time you're home, **Kurt Hummel**?

**Kurt Hummel** likes this.

**Kurt Hummel**: Yes! We'll gather the girls and make a day out of it. Maybe we should bring **Noah Puckerman** too. His skin was looking a bit dry. Have you taught him proper moisturizing yet?

**Quinn Fabray**, **Santana Lopez** and **4 others** like this.

**Noah Puckerman**: Whoa, the Puckasaurus does not need moisturizer. You can keep your frilly spa day to yourselves.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: The Puckasaurus will need moisturizer for another reason if he doesn't play nice.

**Finn Hudson**: I don't get it…

**Sam Evans**: Dude, what do guys use moisturizer for besides dry skin in winter?

**Finn Hudson**: Oh…

**Finn Hudson**: OH! Did not need to know that!

**Noah Puckerman**, **Kurt Hummel** and **30 others** like this.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** loves Blaine Anderson.

**Blaine Anderson** likes this.

**Blaine Anderson**: I knew it all along!

**Kurt Hummel** likes this.

**Kurt Hummel**: Baby you're not alone.

**Blaine Anderson**: Cause you're here with me.


	10. I'm Not Afraid of Anything

**A/N**: The song in this chapter is I'm Not Afraid of Anything from the show, Songs for a New World.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 10**: I'm Not Afraid of Anything

The halls of Dalton Academy were a strange place for Kurt Hummel on his first day back. They felt exactly the same as when he had left them, forcing him to remember that last walk from the dorms to the parking lot before everything changed. It was odd being back after everything that had happened. He felt like a completely different person upon reentering.

Apparently, the population of Dalton had also noticed this change, for as Kurt walked down the halls, hand-in-hand with Blaine, he could see and feel their stares following him. He knew it had nothing to do with the two boys opening showing affection through their joined hands in public. They'd done so on many occasions and were rarely noticed while doing so. No, these people weren't staring at the two of them. They were staring at Kurt. They knew about the attack.

The thought made Kurt want to run and hide, but looking at Blaine, he remembered the song the curly-haired boy had sung to him and regained his resolve. His peers only knew that he'd been physically assaulted…nothing else. They couldn't possibly know about…yeah. Squeezing Blaine's hand, Kurt continued on his way towards the choir room. Though he wasn't sure how the Warblers felt about him really, he was glad to get back to singing. It had been Blaine's voice that brought him back from the land of the dead and music had always been his savior through times of trouble.

When they joined the Warblers, it was clear they had heard something too. They stared at Kurt and seemed to shuffle around him, not getting too close. During the rehearsal of one of their numbers for regionals, James had accidentally brushed Kurt and apologized profusely for it. Then Cameron tripped into him. Kurt would later admit to himself that it had momentarily scared the crap out of him, but Cameron's begging for forgiveness seemed a little overdone. "Okay, seriously, what is going on?" Kurt asked of all the Warblers during their break.

Nobody volunteered an answer, looking sheepishly at one another. Kurt studied all of their faces until he landed on the face of Louis. The tall, thin boy looked a little worse for wear. He had circles under his eyes and he seemed paler than usual. The other Warblers didn't look much better. Had they all been that worried?

"Well," James finally started. "We heard about what happened to you and got to thinking about that time we pestered you about those rumors, why you transferred and whatever. We didn't know how bad it was at McKinley. We didn't know you were running away from some crazy jock rapist."

Rapist? "Yeah, and then we thought you probably were still hurt or didn't want to be touched, so we've been trying to be careful," Cameron explained.

"We just figured that if some big guy had done that to you, you probably wouldn't want other guys touching you. We didn't want to freak you out or anything," Wes told him.

"What the guys are trying to say," David interrupted, always the responsible one, "is that we're sorry about what happened to you as well as about the rumors, and we want to make your return to Dalton as comfortable as possible."

Kurt was shaking now. They knew the whole thing. They knew that Dave Karofsky had raped him in the Dalton Academy parking lot, right against his car. Blaine must have seen him trembling, growing paler by the second, as he placed his hand at the small of his back, guiding him to sit down in on the of the choir room's chairs. "H-How did you all know about…" he choked on his own words.

* * *

Any other day, Jacob Ben Israel would have loved to have been shoved into a locker by two beautiful females. The problem was these were two beautiful, _angry_ females, a deadly combination for the target of said anger. So when Jacob was faced by the seething Evangeline and the already-fucking-frightening-on-a-normal-basis Santana, he could do nothing but quiver. "U-Uh…ladies?"

"How did you get that information about Kurt, you little fucker?" Santana asked furiously. The second the two girls had read the blog entry, they were the first to rush to find Jacob and scare him out of his wits. Santana was doing a fine job of it too.

"I-I have the choir room bugged. I h-heard you and M-Mercedes Jones talking about it," he replied, motioning to Evangeline. "Anyone is f-fair game to the press, especially when it comes out that one of our athletes is a closet gay."

"It wasn't your business to post about something so private. Do you have a shred of human decency?" Evangeline asked, slamming her palm into the locker next to Jacob's head. "Did you stop to think for a moment what this might do to the victim of this situation, who might not want it spread around?"

"M-Maybe I didn't think about that. But the p-press—"

"Fuck the press! You want to go to prison for illegally recording private conversations? Leaving microphones in the choir room isn't legal, even if you _were_ considered a member of the press," Santana reminded him.

"The damage is already done, but you _will_ take down that post. And if I see the names of any of my family members, or any other homosexual youth you'd like to force out of the closet, I'd watch my back if I were you," Evangeline added before letting go of him. She and Santana gave him one last glare, hooked arms and made their way back towards the choir room, where the rest of the glee club would be waiting.

As soon as Evangeline entered, everyone had questions for her.

"Why didn't Kurt tell us?" asked Quinn.

"Karofsky's gay?" was Sam's question.

"So that limp he had…" Tina didn't finish the thought, but sat there silently with a sad look on her face, only smiling sadly when Mike took her hand in his own.

Artie was shell-shocked by the revelation and nearly had to be wheeled by Brittany to the nearest bathroom in order to vomit.

"What's going to be done with Karofsky? He can't get away with this," Mike mentioned.

Mr. Schuester was pale with guilt. "I should have done something when I could. I didn't realize it was getting this bad," he said.

Evangeline took a deep breath, still standing before her teammates. Gathering the strength she needed from a pat on the shoulder from Santana and a warm glance from Puck, she started answering their questions as best as she could. "Mr. Schue, please don't do that to yourself. There's a stubborn gene in our family that keeps us from telling others about our problems." She looked at Puck who raised an eyebrow in return. "You didn't have all of the facts because Kurt didn't offer them. Kurt wouldn't want you to blame yourself. He didn't want anyone worrying about him so he decided to keep it in the family. He was embarrassed. Kurt decided that instead of trying to get Karofsky convicted in this flawed legal system, he wanted to make sure Karofsky was getting help. He's in counseling now and his parents are keeping a close eye on him."

"What do we do now? There has to be something we can do for him," Tina said, biting her lip nervously.

"We'll sing," Mercedes said, standing up. "Mr. Schue, I have something I've been working on for a while."

* * *

Kurt stared blankly at the computer screen. No matter how far away he went, it seemed that he couldn't escape McKinley and that ridiculous Jacob Ben Israel. He read the words over and over again as though hoping they'd suddenly change and everyone would forget exactly what they had read. How the population of Dalton Academy had even come across the blog was beyond him, but the damage had already been done. Everybody knew. "Blaine, what am I going to do? I'm so embarrassed," Kurt said, covering his face with his hands in exasperation.

Smiling, Blaine pulled Kurt away from the computer so that the taller boy stood before him. Cupping his face in his hands, the dapper boy kissed the corner of Kurt's mouth softly before looking him square in the eyes. "Kurt, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Nobody here is going to judge you because of what happened," he said. "Everyone just wants to make sure that you're alright."

Kurt blushed. "I wish they would just treat me normally so we could all just forget the whole thing," he replied.

"That wouldn't be good either," Blaine mentioned. "You can't just forget about these kinds of things. You have to deal with it, Kurt."

"You don't understand!" Kurt said, pulling away to sit on his bed.

It would be a lie to say the words hadn't stung Blaine. He was always doing his best to be understanding, to be patient and caring. But he kept the hurt out of his expression as he sat down next to Kurt. "Maybe I don't. I don't talk about this too often, but I transferred to Dalton when the bullying at my school got pretty intense. Columbus is a more forgiving place than Lima, but we're still in Ohio. There was this group of guys, jock of course, who used to push me around every now and again. One day, they caught me on my way from glee club. Nobody else was around, and it seemed they were waiting for me. They beat the crap out of me with baseball bats and then left me behind one of the school dumpsters. My older brother, Reese, found me around midnight and took me to the hospital. Broken ribs, punctured lung, broken leg, sprained wrist, swollen face, broken nose, and a concussion. I remember that moment before blacking out; I thought I was going to die.

"After that, I came to Dalton. I was scared of everything though. You can ask Wes or David. They had to bribe me out of my room except for class and meals. I kept wondering when I was going to be attacked next, who it would be. David heard me singing in my room and forced me to join the Warblers. Singing and becoming comfortable with the Warblers…those guys healed me."

Kurt listened carefully to the story, taking Blaine's hand and biting his lip nervously. "I'm sorry—"

"I might not understand what it's like to have been raped, but I know what it's like to be scared of everything, of trusting people, of being myself. You don't have to feel like you're alone in that."

Looking over at Blaine, Kurt trembled. "I-I'm so scared of being alone, of everyone leaving," he admitted.

Blaine smiled again and leaned over to press a kiss against Kurt's temple. "You'll never be alone so you don't have to be afraid of that."

And Kurt believed him.

* * *

Looking in the mirror of the girls' bathroom, Evangeline did her best to relax her face, the tension from the past few weeks becoming more and more apparent as time went by. There was so much to worry about, her mind didn't know what to focus on first. There was Kurt's return to Dalton. The fact that he wasn't home where she knew he was okay made her incredibly nervous, though she trusted Blaine to take good care of him. Then there was Noah. He'd become a little distant since the night she met his mother. It seemed almost like he wanted to ask her about something but couldn't. Maybe he was going to break up with her. The thought made her feel physically ill.

Still, Noah wasn't the worst of her worries. That prize would go to Jared. Opening her cell phone, she opened the text she'd received that morning. _I'm coming for you_, it read. Gulping, she shoved the phone back in her bag and resumed fixing her hair. After she'd regained memories of that awful night, Jared had been always present in her thoughts. Either that or he interrupted other thoughts in his way. One moment she was explaining to the glee club what happened to Kurt; the next, she was staring at her phone in disbelief and horror.

The sound of the bathroom door opening caused Evangeline to jump. But when she turned, she found it was just Rachel, coming in to do exactly what Evangeline was doing, primping. "Are you alright?" she asked, seeing the fright on the short-haired girl's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little jumpy," she replied.

"You sure? I know you tend to hide things until you're about to burst. You can talk to me, you know," Rachel told her. "I've been told that I have excellent listening skills."

Evangeline snorted. "Don't worry about it, Rachel."

Rachel frowned. "So, we're close enough friends that you can tell your uncle you're at my house instead of telling him that you're actually sleeping over your boyfriend's, but you can't confide in me at all?" she asked.

Sighing, Evangeline knew she was caught by logic and turned to face Rachel. "I'm worried about everything, that everything is about to fall to pieces. I'm worried about Kurt and how he's doing back at school. I'm worried about regionals and singing and playing in front of a big audience. I'm worried about my uncle, who might keel over from all of the stress he's in. I'm worried that Noah is going to up and leave me any minute when he realizes that I'm too much of a burden…" She opened her mouth to add that she was worried about Jared, but then refrained, biting her lip instead. "But I don't want to talk about it."

"We're all worried about Kurt, Evangeline. When Finn told me—"

"Finn told you? It's great that you're back together, but—"

"We're not back together. We're just talking." Rachel shook her head, realizing that she was getting off topic. "The point is, everyone is worried. You don't have to be so guarded. New Directions has been through a lot, and we made it through it all because we were there for one another."

When Evangeline didn't say anything, she continued. "I've seen you open up, Evangeline. You did it when you told us about your parents, when you finally told them how you feel. And when you perform, you let go so much. You show everyone exactly what you're feeling at that precise moment. Why can't you just do that now?" she asked.

"It's not that easy…"

The bathroom door opening interrupted her as Quinn peeked her head in. "Hey, Mercedes is ready."

Glancing at one another, Evangeline and Rachel nodded before making their way out of the bathroom and towards the auditorium where the rest of the glee club was seated except Mercedes. She was up on stage, ready to perform what she'd been working on all week. Tina had Mercedes' camera in hand, ready to go.

Mercedes stepped up to the microphone. "I know that this is supposed to be for Kurt, and it is. But it's also for all of you, or for anyone who ever hears this song," she said before the music started.

_Jenny's afraid of water_

_I mean, she swims so well, but still_

_She's afraid of water_

_And she won't go near the sea_

_Not me_

_Katie's afraid of darkness_

_I mean, she sleeps and all, but still_

_She's afraid of darkness_

_So when the lights go out, she has to hold my hand_

_I don't understand_

_I'm not afraid of anything_

_Be it mountains, water, dragons, dark or sky_

_I'm not afraid of anything_

_Tell me where's the challenge if you never try_

_So what me fly_

_I'm not afraid_

Evangeline listened to the words Mercedes sang and looked to her right, where Puck sat, gazing up at the stage. She was so afraid of losing him, and it seemed to be this fear that made it a possibility that he might leave. Perhaps, Rachel was right. Maybe it was time to sit down and tell him what she remembered, the text she got this morning. Or maybe she should break the whole thing off, keep him safe. If Jared was coming for her…she didn't want to involve Puck in the mess. _It's this kind of thinking that Rachel was talking about_, she thought to herself before turning her view back towards the stage.

_Daddy's afraid of babies_

_I mean, he got through me, but now_

_He's afraid of babies_

_Guess he's scared of what they'll be_

_Not me_

_And Mama's afraid of crying_

_You know, she tries to hold it in_

_But she's afraid of crying_

_And she can look at me with tears stuck in her eyes_

_And I don't know why_

_I'm not afraid of anything_

_Be it growing old or going out of style_

_I'm not afraid of anything_

_Who would give up what they want without a trial_

_Another mile_

_I'm not afraid_

Kurt glanced over at Blaine who was enraptured by Mercedes' video on the computer screen. It was like Mercedes had known exactly what to say. Hearing her song made him feel strong again, made him think that maybe he could be as brave and honest as she is. He'd never seen his friend look so beautiful and confident and only wished that he was physically there to see her in this form.

It was decided. From that moment on, he would strive to be just like her.

Pulling Blaine towards him, he brought their lips together.

_And I feel the calling of adventure_

_And I hear the ringing in my ear_

_The lights are glaring_

_Trumpets blaring_

_I'm right here_

_And I hear the calling of tomorrow_

_And I feel the stirring in my bones_

_And David loves me_

_He's afraid to hold me_

David gasped from his spot in the isle of the auditorium. He'd received a text telling him a time and a place and here he was, watching the girl he was afraid to love as she laid it all out for him. He didn't notice the eyes of the other glee-clubbers on him as they suddenly noticed his presence. He only had eyes for Mercedes and she for him. When she picked him out in the audience, the song was directed towards him. More and more passion leaked from her voice as the song became more emotional.

_Listen to the calling of excitement_

_Can you feel the pounding of my heart_

_The lights are ready_

_Pulse is steady_

_I can start_

_Never stop the calling of a challenge_

_Blessing on the water and the stones_

The music became soft now, and Mercedes stared at David as she continued to sing softly.

_And David loves me_

_He's afraid to tell me_

_David loves me_

_He's afraid to trust me_

_He's afraid to hold me_

_And he'll always be_

_He's afraid of me_

_And I'm not afraid of anyone_

_I am sure to win with anyone at all_

_I'm not afraid of anyone_

_Not a soul can get behind this wall_

_So let them call_

_And watch them fall_

_Cause after all_

One final pause.

_I'm not afraid._

The auditorium burst into applause as Mercedes took her bows, smiling brightly as though she hadn't just given the most emotionally charged performance the group had seen in a while. Most of the glee club had been reduced to tears. Even Puck had dabbed at his eyes, trying to do so without anyone noticing.

"David, what the hell are you waiting for?" Mike yelled. Then the club forgot their tears and started shouting and laughing and whistling. Calls of "Get it!" and "Go for it David!" and others that—due to Santana's obscene nature—shouldn't be repeated were heard among the group. Even Mr. Schuester laughed and clapped as David ran up to the stage where his woman was waiting. Nothing could be heard above the cheers as he took Mercedes into his arms and kissed her.

* * *

"Noah, can I talk to you about something?"

This was it. She had to tell him everything. Her nerves had her shaking as the two of them made it through the empty halls of McKinley. It was good that it was so empty after glee club. She didn't want anyone else hearing what it was she had to tell him.

"Uh, sure," he said, frowning. They stood, facing each other, neither of them touching, just looking at one another carefully.

Taking a deep breath, she began. "You know how I couldn't remember what Jared had done to me that one night?" He nodded. "When we were at your house, I dreamed about it and remembered the whole thing. I don't know why it happened then and there, but I didn't want to tell you because…because I was scared."

Puck shook his head, still frowning. "This is what pisses me off, Evangeline! I don't know how many times I have to tell you that you can confide in me, that I won't judge you or leave you. Nothing I say can get through that thick skull of yours," he ground out.

"Noah, I'm trying…"

"No, you're not. You think you can push and push me away and then just decide that you want to confide in me. I know I'm supposed to say things like 'I'll wait until you're ready to talk about it' but I can't! Not now. I tell you everything, Evangeline. I told you about Quinn about Beth. I answered all of your questions. You, apparently, don't think I'm worthy enough to deserve the same," he told her.

"Noah, please—" Tears made their way down her face now.

"I love you, Evangeline, but I can't do this! I can't be strung along, pretending everything is peachy when I know you're keeping shit from me. Important shit, too! You won't go to the cops about this Jared douche, so if you don't tell me things, how do you expect me to make sure you're safe? I can't! I spend all day anxious as hell because I'm scared shitless." He ran a hand over his face. "This isn't even me! Somehow you turned me into this lame guy. I could go from girl to girl and not give a shit. Now I'm paranoid, stressed and losing my badassness."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to be getting in the way of your badassness. I thought you wanted to be my boyfriend, Noah. That's what you made it seem like when you told me I wasn't just a quick fuck! When you told me you loved me!" she yelled.

"I _do _love you! I just said that! But all of this crap that you're keeping from me is making me think it was a lot easier when I thought you _were_ just another quick fuck!"

"You know what? Fine. Go back to your sluts and cougars if you think it'll be so much easier. Fuck you, Noah Puckerman." When she walked past him, he grabbed her wrist to pull her back. "Let go of me, asshole, right fucking now."

She was so angry and sad and frightened that she was trembling. "No, I'm not finished," he said. "I never said I wanted to go back to just fucking around."

"That's what you made it sound like."

"Shut up, Evangeline." When silence took her, he continued. "You know I don't want that! I just don't understand how I'm expected to change myself to deserve you when you don't make an effort to do the same."

"Noah, I was upfront when I said I have baggage. Keeping things to myself, that's part of it. And to be frank, this is the exact reason I do it. This is what happens when I tell. A fight and then I leave." It was exactly what happened when she left New York. Everything fell to pieces.

"Fuck baggage, Evangeline! That's all you go on about. You have baggage, but you do nothing about it! You don't _deal_ with it!"

"Fuck you!" she shouted, yanking her wrist from his hand. "I'm standing here _trying_ to deal with it, trying to tell you! But fuck it!" She took a shuddering breath. "You should be happy now. You don't have to be anxious or paranoid anymore. Your badassness will be completely restored. Goodbye, Noah."

And he watched her walk away, her heels clicking as she made her way down the hall. The second he realized everything that had just happened, he slammed his fist against the nearest locker, ignoring the pain and bleeding that resulted. "Fuck!"

* * *

One text to Rachel resulted in a gaggle of girls on the Hummels' front porch. They were led up by Finn to her bedroom and had to coax her to open the door to let them in. What they found once she unlocked the door was a mess. Tears had caused mascara to run. Her hair looked like a bird's nest. She had changed into sweats, something she'd only let the girls see her in when they slept over. "Oh, Eve, baby, are you alright?" Mercedes asked, taking the girl into her arms.

Evangeline sobbed incessantly into Mercedes' shoulder before realizing something. "Shouldn't you be out with David? You guys didn't all have to come here," she said.

"David can wait. He had to get back to Dalton anyway."

"Evangeline, I meant what I told you. We get through all of this by being there for each other. So when we hear that something like this has happened…this is the only place we could possibly be," Rachel told her, coming close to stroke the short, blonde locks.

"We all love you, Eve," Tina added, taking her hand.

"And we'd have brought the boys," Quinn said, looking at Finn who stood in the doorway, "but they don't know how to deal with things like this." Taking this as a hint to get out, Finn nodded and left.

"Thank God. I don't want any male to see me like this," Evangeline sobbed and laughed at the same time. "Th-Thank you guys so much for coming."

So the team got to it. Santana broke out the makeup wipes to remove the dredged traces of mascara. Tina and Brittany went out to buy Evangeline's favorite kinds of ice cream, chocolate and potato chips. Mercedes picked out some chick-flicks for the group to watch all night. Quinn spread out all of the blankets and sleeping bags so the girls could all cuddle and watch movies. Once everyone got back and into pajamas, they were all bundled up, Evangeline in the middle of the group with them on each side. "You want to tell us what happened?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know. The second I told him what was going on, he got so angry about me always keeping things from him…I mean, I guess he was right about that, but I'm trying to change it. And then he starts going on about how much easier it was to just fuck around, so I told him to go back to his sluts…no offence, Santana." The Latina girl nodded. "He said I don't deal with my issues and that being with me made him anxious and paranoid because I wasn't telling him anything."

"Oh boy…it's worse than I thought," Rachel said, looking at the other girls.

"No, I was wrong too. I should have told him what I was worried about from the beginning. I would have apologized if he let me finish telling him everything before telling me what a pain in his ass I was," she cried.

"See, this is why I don't get into relationships," Santana said. "Too messy. And Puckerman doesn't know how it goes. He doesn't _do _relationships."

"It sounds like it freaked him out just how quickly he changed from the man-slut of McKinley to a boyfriend," Quinn added. "It's a cliché, but it probably scares him how much he cares."

"Maybe you're right, Santana. I should just stay away from relationships and just sleep around," Evangeline said, sniffling. "It never ends well."

"I never said _you_ shouldn't be in a relationship, but, you know, if you ever need someone to make out with, I'm available now that Brit is all monogamous," Santana offered.

"Really?" Evangeline asked.

"Yeah, you're hot," Santana replied.

More tears cascaded down Evangeline's face as she dug into the Ben & Jerry's Phish Food ice cream. "That's the nicest thing any girl has ever said to me," she cried.

"Do you think you and Puck are finished then?" Tina asked to change the subject, though she would later admit to Mike that most of the girls had found the idea of Santana and Evangeline making out to be a pretty appealing one.

"Yeah, you heard. He wants floosies. No offence, Santana." Again, the girl shrugged. "It's over."

* * *

"How you feeling, dude?"

Puck looked up from the toilet to see Sam standing over him. Oh yeah, some of the guys had found him and brought him to Sam's house. "I'm cool," Puck replied, bringing his hand up to scratch the back of his head to find that it was bandaged. "What's this?"

"You punched a locker, remember? I wrapped it up for you. Let's get you in bed," Sam suggested, wrapping one of Puck's arms around his shoulders so he could hoist the other male up and towards the bedroom before depositing him on the bed as Mike and Artie watched from the other side of the room. "Come on, Puck. This is how you deal with breakups?"

"Don't know…never broke up with anyone before," he admitted. "Why does she have to be so frustrating? Even now that I'm free of her I can't sleep or eat."

"You can sure as hell drink though," Mike added.

"Ha fucking ha!" Noah replied sloppily.

"Puck, you really need a better way of dealing with this," Artie mentioned. "I know you guys just broke up a couple of hours ago, but drinking yourself to oblivion isn't going to help."

Forcing himself to sit up, Noah rocked back and forth uncontrollably while trying to remain upright. "You're…you're right, obi wan. I need to sleep with someone. Where's Santana?" he asked, standing up.

Luckily, Sam pushed him back down. "I don't think that's what he means, Puck. You sober enough to tell us what happened?"

"She thinks she can just push me away and then whenever she wants to tell me something, I'm just magically going to be ready to listen. Everything's always on her schedule, it's all about her and her _baggage_. What the fuck ever! I can hang out with my boys more now. And I can drink more now. And I can fuck more now. Relationships suck!" he said before letting himself fall back onto the mattress so he stared at the ceiling. "But I miss her already. Maybe I should call her!"

"No! No no no no no no!" Mike said, snatching the phone before Puck could start dialing the numbers.

"What the hell, Chang? Give me my cell back!"

"You can talk to Eve when you've sobered up. I don't think it'll make a good impression if you have to stop mid sentence to puke," he mentioned. "You can have it back tomorrow morning."

Artie wheeled himself closer to Puck's bed to pat him on the top of his mohawk. "Puck, if you really do miss her…make sure to do something about it tomorrow. Don't just let her walk away," he said, causing the mohawk-bearing teen to look over at him.

The door to the bedroom opened to reveal Finn who scrunched his nose at the aroma of alcohol and vomit. "Dude," he said, looking at Sam, "it's a good thing your parents are out of town. How much did he have to drink?"

"You don't want to know," Mike replied.

"Finn!" Puck shouted, sitting up again. "You tell that cousin of yours that I don't need her. She can go to somebody else with her problems. Fuckin' Jared…"

"Whoa, was she telling you something about Jared?" Finn asked. The boys looked a little confused, but Puck started laughing hysterically. "Puck. Puck!" Finn took his friend by the shoulders and shook him. "You need to focus. What did she tell you?"

"Nothing! She just said she remembered that night where he beat the crap out of her, dreaming about it or something…" he trailed off.

"Shit, man. So basically, she tried to tell you about how her last boyfriend beat her to the point where she couldn't remember him doing it, and you decided yelling at her was the best reaction? Am I getting this right?" Finn asked.

"Fuck you, man. Should have known you'd side with her."

"It's not about sides! That guy is still out there, Puck, and she's scared. Can you really blame her for not telling you? Look at her parents. She told them and they told her she was crazy, being dramatic. She's used to people telling her she's lying," he went on.

"Dude, is that true?" Sam asked. "Puck, did she say anything else?"

"No…" He had to think pretty hard to remember exactly how their conversation had gone. "But I think she didn't try to say something else. I was just so angry with her that I couldn't hear it."

"What the fuck? Puck, you know that this guy is after her. What if he made contact with her or something?" Finn asked.

"Calm down. She's fine. She's with the girls at your place, right?" Artie asked. "When you get home, just ask her about it."

Puck seemed to sober at the idea of Jared having contacted Evangeline. "Shit," he said to himself, lying back on the bed once more.

* * *

"It's nice to meet you, Kurt. My name is Dr. Donovan. The headmaster alerted me of your situation when it first happened. I hope you and I will be a good fit. Not every counselor and counselee fit together, but we'll do our best." Kurt nodded, watching the older man reach for a notepad and a pen as he sat across from him. "I want to precursor our sessions by saying that everything is confidential. I will never tell anyone what is said in this room. This is a safe space. I'm not here to judge, only to advise and help you through this difficult time."

"Thank you," Kurt said meekly.

"Now, Kurt, I'm going to ask you some questions. If you don't want to answer some of them, that's alright, but it'll help me to help you. If you don't want to tell me something just yet, please don't lie. The more you can tell me the better. Understand?" Kurt nodded. "Good. Now, have you been having any flashbacks or nightmares about the attack?"

When considering how much he wanted to tell this man, Kurt thought of Mercedes and how brave she was. For the sake of her relationship with David and for the low morale of her friends, she laid everything on the line. Now, he wanted to do the same for himself and for Blaine and his family and friends. He wouldn't be afraid. "Yeah…it started once I was off of the pain meds. Every time I go to sleep it's the only thing I can think about. And when my boyfriend and I try to be…intimate, I feel like it's happening all over again unless I can see his face."

"You and your boyfriend, had you been intimate before the attack?"

Kurt blushed. "No…I mean, we did stuff, but we never went…all the way or anything like that," he replied.

"And how's your libido now?"

"Er…I don't know."

"Have you been able to hold an erection?"

Wow, this was getting personal pretty quickly. "W-Well…no…I don't really get aroused…ever," he said.

"But you did before the attack?" Seeing that Kurt was embarrassed, he smiled. "It's okay, Kurt. I know it's difficult to talk about, but it's important."

"I did as much as any normal teenage male."

"And do you get anxious when you're reminded about the attack?" the counselor asked. Was this guy really a counselor or a legit psychiatrist? Kurt noted that Ms. Pillsbury would never have asked questions like this. And he wouldn't put it past Dalton to hire a psychiatrist for the boys who stressed over their difficult courses.

"Yeah, um, I usually freak out a little bit," he admitted.

"Can you tell me about the attack? Just tell me everything you can remember," Dr. Donovan said in a calm, soothing voice.

"U-Um…well, I was walking out to my car to get my book. He came up behind me when I was closing the trunk of my car. I…I-I can't remember what exactly he said to me. He had this crazy look on his face like he had no control over what he was doing. He hit me in the face and the stomach until I was pretty out of it and couldn't struggle..." He really didn't want to go any further than that, even though he could hear Mercedes' voice singing in his ear. Maybe he was a little scared.

"Do you blame yourself?"

"I should have been able to push him off," Kurt replied, looking down at his lap.

"Kurt, I believe you're suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. It's completely natural considering what you've been through." He paused, scribbling onto his notepad. "It feels as though you're trying to forget what happened to you. Repressing those memories isn't going to help you. You have to face it, deal with it, and let it become part of your past."

"How do I do that?" Kurt asked.

"By talking about it. Don't close yourself off, Kurt. We'll focus on certain aspects of what you're feeling about the attack. Your guilt, for example…we'll talk through that so I can understand why you feel that way and so we can go about changing it. Does that sound good to you Kurt?" Dr. Donovan questioned, earning himself a nod from Kurt. "Good, now, I think this has been a lucrative first session, so I'll let you go."

Kurt eagerly stood. "One more, Kurt." Turning to face the doctor again, he waited. "When you have flashbacks or nightmares, try to think of a way of calming yourself down. Some people use counting or singing."

"O-Okay…thanks, Doctor," he said before exiting the office.

As awkward and difficult as it had been, Kurt felt as though a small weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** tagged **herself** and **David Thompson** in a video.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**, **Kurt Hummel** and **27 others** like this.

**Sam Evans**: Sorry, Blaine, but I think Mercedes just outdid you.

**Mercedes Jones** likes this.

**Blaine Anderson**: I'll willingly give up my title to her.

**Mercedes Jones** likes this.

**Santana Lopez**: Wheezy, you've got balls. Take notes, Thompson.

**David Thompson**: …

**Kurt Hummel**: Way to go, bb!

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I keep crying, watching this! Mercedes, this is what you've reduced me to!

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: Me toooooooooo

**Rachel Berry**: I've already suggested to Mr. Schuester that you perform this at regionals.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**, **Quinn Fabray** and **20 others** like this.

**Quinn Fabray**: You mean you'll voluntarily give away the solo?

**Rachel Berry**: I'm not an idiot. What Mercedes did is pure genius.

**Mercedes Jones** likes this.

**Mercedes Jones**: Thanks, guys. :)

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** and **David Thompson** are in a relationship.

**Kurt Hummel**, **Sam Evans** and **52 others** like this.

**Wes Richter**: About time.

**Blaine Anderson**: Seriously…good thing Mercedes is the one wearing the pants here.

**Mercedes Jones** likes this.

**David Thompson**: Hey!

**Quinn Fabray**: Congrats, you two!

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: I'm going to pretend I didn't sit here refreshing my newsfeed, waiting to see this pop up.

**Kurt Hummel**: Ditto.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** is single.

**Wes Richter** likes this.

**Wes Richter**: YES

**Kurt Hummel**: What happened?

**Evangeline Anne Hummel**: I'll call you later.

**Tina Cohen Chang**: :(

**Mercedes Jones**: I can't believe how sad this makes me. Call me anytime, bb.

* * *

**Noah Puckerman** is single.

**Sam Evans**: You alright, man? You had a lot to drink last night.

**Artie Abrams**: Take care of yourself, alright?

**Mike Chang**: Hey, I forgot to give you your phone back. I'm stopping over.

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** is so grateful to have such good friends.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** is not afraid of anything.

**Mercedes Jones**, **Evangeline Anne Hummel** and** 54 others** like this.

* * *

Evangeline looked at the computer screen as her fellow female glee-clubbers slept on her bedroom floor. _"Kurt Hummel is not afraid of anything."_ Glancing at her packed bags, she bit her lip.

"I am."

* * *

**A/N**: Is it wrong that I'm shipping Eve/Santana a tiny bit after writing this chapter?


	11. I'll Forget You

**A/N**: The song in this chapter is I'll Forget You from The Scarlet Pimpernel. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. My semester just started up and I suddenly have a lot of work to do. This particular update has been brought to you by a very fortunately timed snow day.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 11**: I'll Forget You

Puck thought someone must have shot him in the head. That was the amount of pain he felt as he opened his eyes after drinking himself to oblivion the night before. Looking at the clock, he saw it was no later than seven in the morning. What the hell was he doing up at seven in the morning after such a night? He should be asleep until at least noon. Listening, he could hear the sound of Finn's hushed voice talking most likely into a phone since nobody seemed to be responding to him.

"I haven't heard from her. Why? What's going on?" he asked, pausing.

"Shit!" That had Noah worried even as he tried to will himself back to sleep.

"We'll go check her house. Maybe she just wanted some time to herself. Don't worry, Burt. We'll find her." Find who? He was talking to Burt.

"Puck, wake up," Finn said loudly, shaking the seemingly sleeping stud. As Puck rolled onto his back and stretched he saw Finn waking up the other boys who had crashed at Sam's house the night before.

"What's going on?" Mike grumbled.

"Evangeline's missing. She left some note with Burt saying she was leaving and would call when she got…wherever she was going. That and something about protecting us. I don't know, but we have to find her," he said.

Now he had Puck's attention.

"We're going down to her house to see if she's there. You guys coming?"

* * *

It turned out that the entire glee club was coming. The girls had refused to stay behind when they heard about the letter and then about this Jared character. Since they had already been gathered at the Hummel house, they simply loaded into two cars and were off to Evangeline's house. Just as they were pulling up, so did Finn's car, loaded with all of the boys.

What they found as they stood on her driveway was difficult to comprehend.

The front door was open and some of the windows were shattered, glass littering both the grass and the house's interior. Puck was the first one to react, running towards the house. "Noah! Be careful!" Rachel called after him. What if they were still in the house? Burt ran after him and soon it was decided that Artie, and the girls minus Santana would remain outside to keep out of danger and to receive Kurt and Blaine when they arrived, as they had been notified about the crisis and were on their way to Lima.

The inside of the house was as much a wreck as the outside. Everything breakable was broken, glass was everywhere and the furniture was torn apart. Sam picked up a piece of glass. "Shit, this is blood," he said, examining the red substance on the glass.

"Eve!" Santana shouted, hoping to hear a response from the other girl, hoping she was somehow still there. No answer. Each member of the party searched the house, looking through every bathroom, the bedroom, even the empty master bedroom. "She's not fucking here," Santana growled as they regrouped in the living room. "And the cops aren't going to listen to us ramble about a missing person until it's been 72 hours."

"No, but they'll listen to us ramble about a break in and entry," Mike reasoned. "And kidnapping once the whole Jared thing is explained, right?"

"Puck!" It was Sam who had called his name. The blonde later thought about this moment and wondered why he'd initially called Puck's name, not Burt's or Finn's, but Puck's. "Evangeline's phone…" When Puck accepted the small piece of metal, there were bloody fingerprints littering the outside of it and on the number pad.

"Fuck." Puck opened the device and scrolled through Evangeline's text messages. _"I'm going to get you." "I'll kill you." "I love you." "You'll pay for leaving me." "I told you I would find you." "WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS?" "Everything could have been fine." "I'LL HAVE YOU BACK!"_

Puck wanted to vomit reading over the text messages. So these were what Evangeline was going to show him. She would have told him all about them had he just kept his big mouth shut. Then none of this would be happening. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!" He almost threw the phone across the room, lifting his arm to do so.

"Wait, Puck!" Sam said and Puck lowered his arm slowly. "There's a voicemail too."

Indeed, there was. Putting the phone on speaker, he opened the voicemail. _"First message:_

_Hello, Noah Puckerman. You know who I am. I have Eve and I'm never letting her go again. She belongs to me. You can't have her! Nobody can come between us now. But I know how hard it is to let go of her. So I'll be merciful. I'm sending you a package as you listen to this voicemail. It should be at your house any minute. Cherish what's inside because it'll be the last you ever see of Evangeline._

_End of messages."_

"Call the police," Burt said to Carol.

Half an hour later, the police were swarming the house, looking for any clues that might lead them to the whereabouts of Evangeline and her kidnapper. Kurt's SUV pulled up to the house. "What the hell's going on?" he asked as he and Blaine got out of the car and met the group on the front lawn.

"Eve's been taken by Jared. The police are sweeping the place," Burt explained, hugging his son close. "She left early in the morning when everyone was asleep."

When Burt eased up on their hug, Kurt looked at the rest of the glee club and Blaine. "What are we doing in the meantime?" There had to be something they could do.

"We're waiting."

Waiting. It was the worst. Whether it was in a hospital waiting room or on Evangeline's front lawn, it was awful. Puck sat on the curb as though waiting for Evangeline to drive up in a fancy car and everything to be okay again. He couldn't believe just how badly he fucked up. Jared's message played over and over again in his mind even now that the phone was bagged as evidence and taken away by the police. He could hear that creep's voice talking about Evangeline, claiming her as his own. How could Evangeline have ever been with someone like that? She was so strong and independent. What place did a guy like Jared have in her life? He was possessive and misogynistic even. She was a possession to him, not a person.

Running his hands through his mohawk, he was startled to feel a hand on his shoulder as Rachel, Quinn and Santana approached him. Rachel and Quinn sat on either side of him as Santana stood, looking down on the trio.

"Noah, everyone's doing their best. We're going to find her and she's going to be okay," Rachel said, her hand still on his shoulder until he shrugged it off.

"How do you know that? They could be halfway across the country by now. There only thing we're going to get is that package that he's sending and I doubt that'll help any," Puck replied.

"Can you please stop being such a downer? It's so un-hot," Santana said, crossing her arms.

"Santana's right. We have to keep hoping. Evangeline's pretty tough. I think she'll be alright," Quinn reasoned, though her voice wavered slightly.

"Maybe, but if it weren't for me, none of this would even be happening! You have no idea what this feels like! If I had just let her tell me what was going on, she'd be home right now and that Jared guy would be in custody and everything would be just fine!" he yelled, grabbing at his head.

Santana faltered for a moment before speaking. "Hold up. Are you telling me that this is what Evangeline was trying to tell you about yesterday?" she asked. Oh hell no.

"Maybe…"

The moping was bad enough, but this had Santana in a rage. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" she shouted, gaining the attention of the others waiting on the front lawn. "How would you feel if some douche was fucking stalking you, threatening to kill you and you finally try to tell your boyfriend and he blows up in your face? You really think that girl is ever going to trust a man again?"

"Look, you don't have to tell me what an asshole I am. I already know," Puck replied.

"Oh good, so we can all feel sorry for Puckerman. Fuck that! And fuck you! You sit here feeling sorry for yourself when Eve is being held hostage by some _sick fuck_!" Now, Santana had been involved in some pretty nasty fights in her time. Quinn could attest to that, remembering one particular fight they'd had in the halls of McKinley High. But never in her life had she been so utterly furious. It surprised the other glee-clubbers just how much Santana cared.

Puck stood up now to face her. "I've already admitted this is my fault! What else do you want me to fucking do, Santana?" he shouted back at her.

"Grow a pair and go get her! You always talk about how badass you are. Well, fucking prove it!" she hissed in return.

Whatever Noah had thought of to say in reply was cut off by his own cell phone buzzing in his pocket. It was his mother. "Ma? What's up? I can't really talk right now," he said into the phone.

"_Honey, there's a package here for you."

* * *

_

When Evangeline woke up, she noted immediately that she was in a very dark, very cold room and that someone must have hit her in the back of the head, for the pain swelling there was enough to make her dizzy. It took a few seconds more, however, to remember what had happened back at the house, how she'd walked in only to find Jared waiting for her there.

She'd been walking to her bedroom to retrieve some of her last belongings before heading out to the train station. The letter she left with Burt explained that she didn't know where she was going to go, but had to get away. She couldn't lead Jared right to them. Now that the texts were getting more frequent and worse in content, she knew what she had to do.

Just as she reached her room, the door had slammed behind her, and she found herself suddenly on the floor, pain rattling through her body. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was Jared's face leering above her.

Panicked at the sudden memory, she quickly tried to stand up only to have her knees buckle, causing her to fall onto her bottom ungracefully. "I wouldn't try to stand if I were you." She bit her lip at the sound of that deep voice. That voice had done so much to do, had fooled her when she was fifteen and just starting out as a model, had told her she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, had claimed her as his even as she got ready to bolt. "The drugs are starting to take effect. I gave you just enough so you can't run anywhere, but so you'll be fully conscious. Don't worry about any adverse affects. You'll be dead before you have any."

When the lights turned on, her arm came up to immediately shield her eyes. "Where the fuck are we?" she asked, keeping her pride. She wouldn't let him scare her, not yet. It would be too satisfying for him to see her quivering in fear.

"It's an old abandoned fire house. Pretty nice, right? If only it still had heat," he replied. "But it'll do."

Lowering her arm, she looked up at Jared's face, taking in the same pale skin, dark hair and gray eyes that she'd seen so many times in her nightmares. Suddenly, she didn't feel quite as ballsy as she originally had. This was the man who was going to kill her, standing right in front of her. "W-What are you going to do?"

"Well, there are so many options. I haven't really decided," he said as though it were a completely normal thing to mull about in one's head. "But I have to punish you for leaving me for that Noah Puckerman. Didn't know you had a thing for Lima losers, Eve."

"We broke up, Jared. He has nothing to do with why I left," she replied, finding her strength once again. "You don't own me. You can't just decide that I'm yours. That's why I had to go."

The impact of his fist against the side of her face had her gasping in pain and sprawled out on the ground, her body unable to lift itself back up again due to the drugs coursing through her veins. Laughing, he grasped onto her short locks to pull her back up into a sitting position. "You're both going to pay. I don't care if he brought you here or not. The fact is, he took what's mine, touched what's mine."

She let out a whine as he let go and slid slowly backwards until she was sitting against the wall. "Please, Jared," she started.

"No!" He moved over to an old table where there was a video camera waiting for him. "We're going to punish him too. You're going to help me. This video will be the last Noah Puckerman ever sees of you."

The first tear fell at those words, at the idea that she'd never see Noah again. Yesterday, she would have told herself that it didn't bother her, that they had had their run and were finished. But now that she was staring death in the face, she wasn't so sure. Not seeing him again might be the only regret she had, besides the pain she was sure to put her family through.

"I saw those videos of you online, singing and playing the violin," Jared said as he approached her, kneeling before her. "Why didn't you ever sing to me? You sang to him. You played for him too. Never for me." His hand now tenderly touched the spot that he'd earlier hit. When she didn't answer, he pulled back and turned on the video camera. "Well, now you're going to sing for him one last time. Remember, this is the last he'll see and hear of you."

She blinked, wondering what to do. "Sing!" he shouted at her. So, she began to sing. It was the first song that came to her mind now that she was thinking about Noah and what she wanted to say to him if this was the last he'd hear of her.

_I'll forget you_

_The more you stay inside of me_

_The weaker I grow_

_I'll forget you_

_Tomorrow I will turn and let you go_

_I grow colder_

_I'll lose myself in anything but you now_

_For there is nothing I can do now_

_But forget_

Noah sat in his living room along with the rest of the gang, watching as a drug-induced Evangeline tried to concentrate on the words she was singing. He didn't recognize the song, but he knew that she was singing directly to him. Somehow, it felt as though she were in the room, looking right at him as she sang.

Kurt was crying, grasping onto Blaine's t-shirt as he looked at the screen. He recognized the song the moment words started coming from Evangeline's lips. "The Scarlet Pimpernel," he said through his tears, and for a moment, the others looked at him. "Marguerite has been arrested and sentenced to death. She sings this about her husband, who she believes she'll never see again."

The context had Noah crying too. Actually crying. But nobody was looking at him to witness it. Their eyes all became glued to the screen once Kurt had finished speaking.

_I'll forget you_

_I won't remember arms that pulled me in_

_Soft and slow_

_I'll forget you_

_There has to be a way to let you go_

_No more shadows_

_No dreams of leaning in the dark above you_

_I will forget how much I love you_

_Any day_

"Now watch for any clues. The smallest thing might show us where they are," said the police man in charge to his peers as they watched the video. Many of the male officers were stuck on Evangeline's face, not looking at the location as they were hypnotized by her song. The female officers, however, picked up the slack and watched attentively.

_But every time I close my eyes_

_You come to me again_

_I swear I feel your touch _

_Upon my skin_

_You hunt me everywhere_

'_Til I reach into the air_

_Trembling to think of_

_All the nights that might have been._

It was a day later and somehow the video had been leaked to a local news station, which went on to reach national attention. Fox News and CNN were showing the footage all day. When it became apparent that the kidnapped girl was none other than Evangeline Hummel, the popular model, it all became even more blown out of proportion. Between each showing of the video, they showed images from some of her photo shoots, some of them photographed by Jared himself. Now all Noah could do was sit and stare at her face as the video played. He'd watched all morning and had every expression she made memorized.

When Evangeline's voice changed keys and became stronger, her tears became even more apparent. He couldn't get the image of her crying face out of his head, especially the night before when he'd laid in Evangeline's bed with Burt's permission. The smell of her on the sheets didn't help him dislodge her from his brain enough to sleep and that was just as he'd have it. He didn't _want_ to think about anything or anyone else.

Now they were all gathered at the Hummel house, watching the news and waiting next to the phone for any updates on the situation. Most of the glee club was there too, helping with the cooking and just comforting Noah and the Hudson-Hummels.

Burt sat down on their couch next to Noah and clamped a hand down on his shoulder as though this wasn't the guy who got her into this mess to begin with, as though this weren't the guy who'd been a complete jack-ass to his niece just a couple days before.

_I'll forget you_

_I hear you whisper to me in the dark_

_Still I know_

_I'll forget you_

_God help me find a way to let you go_

_I do not want you_

The pause as she sobbed had Noah breaking down again.

_And still you steal each breath I'm breathing from me_

_With just a touch…you overcome me_

_And I let you_

_I will forget you_

One more pause and Noah had tears running down his face, but he wouldn't tear his eyes away from Evangeline. Even as he felt Rachel take his hand and Quinn brushing her nails gently through his mohawk, he did nothing but stare that screen.

_When I die_

He'd heard that note a thousand times, but it still made him weep beyond all control. If he weren't so fucking scared, he might be embarrassed at how much he'd been crying lately, but once it started, it didn't seem to want to stop. Suddenly, he was in the arms of one Burt Hummel. Normally, he would register that this was incredibly odd and unlikely to ever happen, but he was so relieved to have some male comfort, a fatherly figure if only for a moment that he just let it happen.

"It's not your fault, alright? You're a teen, and teens fight every once in a while. You and Eve having your fight has nothing to do with this," the man said.

Kurt was next, pulling the mohawk-bearing teen into a one-armed hug. "Even if you and Eve are technically broken up and you were an ass the other day, you're family to us. And I'd tell you if you were the cause of all this. But you're not. Eve didn't tell anyone before she left. She didn't tell anyone about the text messages either. But ultimately, this is Jared's fault," he said.

"Yeah, man, there's nothing you could have done," Finn told him as Kurt pulled back.

"And there's nothing I can do now but wait," Noah replied. "She could be dead and I'm just sitting here watching her on the television. Some badass I am."

"She's not dead," Kurt said, smiling a little bit.

"How do you know that?" Puck asked.

"She's not. I just know," he replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "She's a lot tougher than you think."

When the phone rang, Burt grabbed it instantly. "Hello?" he called urgently, not even looking to see who it was. His face fell and the others looked at him with anxious expressions, thinking it was bad news. "Simon, I'm not having this conversation with you, not right now. She told Charlotte she was in danger and neither of you believed her." Breaths were released though the tension remained thick at the reminder that news of Evangeline had not yet reached them.

"You can't just apologize and expect to be suddenly forbidden. That was your child on the screen! Your beautiful child and you didn't protect her when she needed to be protected!" Burt shouted into the receiver.

Kurt took the phone and put it on speaker, not wanting anyone to miss out on the conversation. "Uncle Simon, why don't you go let out some of your stress with one of your mistresses?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"_Kurt? W-What?"_

"Kurt, quit it. Simon, you let Eve down, and now you don't get to call her your daughter anymore. I can't believe you're even calling me right now. I have more important things to worry about," he replied.

"_Burt, come on—" _He was interrupted by none other but his wife.

"_You think you can take care of Evangeline? Take a good look, Burt! She wasn't kidnapped when we were her guardians," _Charlotte mentioned.

"Oh please, you would have handed her right over to him if the price was right," Kurt said.

"_Fuck you, you little faggot!"_

Shouts from the rest of the glee-clubbers, including Puck whose tears were forgotten in his sudden rage, along with Burt filled the room. "You are never welcome in this house again, Charlotte. You can't talk to my son that way. Ever. Simon, when you grow a set and divorce your wife, maybe we'll talk. Goodbye." With that, he hung up the phone.

Everyone was cheering at Burt's final words to Evangeline's mothers. "Good riddance," Kurt said with a smile on his face as he bent down to kiss the top of his father's head. "Now, we need to find Eve. I'm sure they'll keep showing the video on the news so keep watching and hopefully somebody will recognize the place."

"Kurt?" Blaine asked. He'd been quietly standing in the doorway to the living room throughout all of the commotion. "I think I know where they are."

* * *

"Jared, please don't. Please!" Evangeline begged as she stared at her own left hand. Jared had her left wrist pinned to the table, her palm facing upward, while his other hand held a hammer. He had this manic look on his face, an expression Evangeline was slowly growing more and more fearful of. She had already been reduced to begging, her pride taking the backseat as her playing hand was splayed out on the table.

"If you wouldn't play for me, you won't play for anyone…ever!"

Evangeline was already sustaining a decent amount of injuries caused by Jared. Her face was bruised along with her neck, thanks to Jared's idea of strangling her. Luckily, he'd changed his mind, leaving hand-print shaped bruises. He decided that was simply too juvenile. Certainly, he could think of a better way than that. Evangeline was sure the rest of her body was covered in bruises from Jared's habit of throwing her around. It sure felt that way. She also noted that her head was bleeding from his slamming it into the hard, cold floor a couple of times. But this was the worst. When he brought that hammer down against her hand, she felt something break, and a scream she didn't know she was capable of producing wrenched itself from her vocal chords.

* * *

"How do you know this place again?" Puck asked as he sat next to Blaine, who was currently driving Kurt's car. Burt was following him in the car behind them. The head-Hummel had convinced Kurt and Carol to remain at home, where they watched the scene unfold on the television. Now that the location had been recognized, there were news helicopters over the fire house, filming everything.

"I grew up in Columbus. The building is the old fire house. I remember having a banquet there for one of the school plays in middle school. They recently built a new one and haven't done anything with the old one yet," Blaine replied, concentrating on the road.

"Thanks, dude. I don't know what I'd do now if you didn't realize." He just hoped that it wasn't too late.

When the two cars pulled up to the fire house, there were already Columbus township police cars parked everywhere and police officers were all over the place. There was on ambulance ready to receive Evangeline along with photographers and camera men ready to get their million-dollar footage. Burt, Blaine and Puck got out of the vehicles to run up to the one who seemed to be in charge. "Hey, can you tell us what's going on? That's my niece in there," Burt said.

"Sir, I need you to get back into your vehicles and leave the premises," the officer said.

"Didn't you hear him? That's his family!" Puck shouted.

"Alright, fine. Just duck under these police cars. We're surrounding the building now and will call out the suspect. If he doesn't come out, we'll infiltrate. But you all need to stay out of the line of fire," he said, guiding them towards his cop car, motioning for them to duck down. They all obeyed, though Puck stole glances from over the car's top.

"Please exit the building with your hands up! We have the building surrounded!" Puck felt himself flinch at the sound of the officer's voice being amplified, suddenly terrified of what was about to happen.

Then he got his first glimpse of Jared as the man walked out from the fire house. But his hands weren't up like instructed. One arm was around Evangeline's waist, holding her up as her legs refused to support her. She looked limp, her head resting back against his shoulder. His other hand wielded a gun, which was aimed promptly at her head. Puck couldn't decide whether to be relieved that she was alive or terrified out of his fucking mind that there was a crazy person holding a gun to her head.

"Sir, please drop your weapon. We have you surrounded," the cop said.

"He's not going to care," Puck whispered. "He's fucking crazy."

Blaine put a hand on Puck's shoulder. "Let the professionals take care of this, alright? You have to relax a little."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing when he's about to shoot her in the head," Puck replied. "I won't watch him kill her."

"Noah, you stay right there. Eve wouldn't want you to do anything stupid," Burt reminded him.

But Puck couldn't hear him. He was standing up before either of them could pull him back down. The police were so focused on Jared that they had to double-take as they saw Noah walked through their ranks and towards the former couple. "Jared," he called out, bringing the man's attention to him. He could hear Eve gasp. He could see all of the wounds now that they were so close; her bruised face and neck, the way her hand curled in on itself protectively, the blood running down her face from some kind of head wound. But he had to focus on Jared now. "You probably don't know who I—"

"Noah Puckerman."

Puck flinched. "Maybe you do…" He cleared his throat and started again. "Look, you've got this all wrong. Eve didn't want to leave you. I was the one who convinced her because I wanted her for myself. We met before she even left New York," He lied. "You've got the wrong person there. It's me who caused all of this. I tricked her into coming here."

"N-Noah, please don't—" She gasped as he shook her to keep her quiet.

"Everything is her fault. She left me. She should have just listened to me. Then everything would be okay," Jared rambled. "But now it can't be." His gun-wielding hand tensed as though he were about to fire.

"Whoa, hey, dude. Don't do anything hasty. She told me how much she regretted coming here and leaving you. Really, it was me. Now, let her go and I'll stay here with you so we can hash this out," Noah promised. "Then you can have her. I won't be in your way anymore."

"No! I'll kill you both!"

Noah braced himself for the shot as he saw the gun aimed at his chest. But when he heard the gun go off, he felt no pain. Was death really that quick? No. He could still hear shouts and yelling. Opening his eyes, he saw Eve gathering all of her strength to push his arm away, forcing the gun to shoot into the sky instead.

Enraged, he pushed her to the ground, where she remained due to the drug that continued to hold her captive. She'd spent her last ounce of strength keeping that bullet from hitting Puck and now she expected she'd have her own bullet lodged into her skull in just a moment. But when the second shot was fired, she opened her eyes to find the blank gray eyes of Jared staring back into hers, blood dripping down the front of his face from the bullet in the side of his head.

The scream that tore from her throat was the most awful sound Noah had ever heard. Within seconds he was at her side, pulling her into his chest as she trembled and sobbed, her eyes remaining wide and unblinking in shock. "Evangeline, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I fucked up this badly. I won't let anything like this happen ever again," he murmured, his lips against the top of her head. "I'm here, Evangeline. I'm not going anywhere."

The EMTs rushed up to the pair, but Noah didn't even notice them. Evangeline was alive.

She was alive and safe.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel **is glad to announce that **Evangeline Anne Hummel** is going to be just fine.

**Wes Richter**, **Finn Hudson** and **234 others** like this.

**Mercedes Jones**: Thank the good Lord.

**Santana Lopez**: Yeah, because the Puckasaurus finally found his balls.

**Sam Evans**: Is it true he almost got shot?

**Wes Richter**: I heard that he was shot!

**Kurt Hummel**: Guys, stop watching all of those news shows. But yes, he almost got shot.

**Rachel Berry**: What time should we assemble at the hospital?

**Finn Hudson**: She's not even settled in yet, Rach. We'll let you all know when she's ready. Kurt, mom and I are only heading there now.

**Brittany S. Pierce**: Are all her robot parts okay?

**Artie Abrams**: Remember when Finn told you she wasn't a robot?

**Brittany S. Pierce**: Oh. I was wondering why she could cry…

**David Thompson**: All of the Warblers are glad to hear that she's safe and sound.

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: Tell her we love her!

**Quinn Fabray**: We'll be there as soon as she wants us.

**Mike Chang**: Keep us updated on how she's doing in the meantime, man.

**Kurt Hummel**: Will do!

* * *

**Rachel Berry** tagged **Evangeline Anne Hummel** in a video.

**Quinn Fabray**: Berry! I can't believe you posted this! Do you really think Eve wants to see this when she gets onto fb?

**Rachel Berry**: It was just such a hauntingly beautiful performance. She's going to see it on television anyway. It's on national news stations. She's practically a celebrity now.

**Tina Cohen-Chang**: Yeah, but at what cost?

**Mercedes Jones**: I can't stop crying.

**Rachel Berry**: This was such a genius selection made on Eve's part in such a short amount of time and under pressure.

**Santana Lopez**: If you say this makes her an asset to the team, I'm going to reach through this computer and throttle you.

**Brittany S. Pierce**: My cat told me I was an asset once.

* * *

**Rachel Berry** has never been so relieved.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** can't wait to see her bb!

* * *

**Santana Lopez** will fillet anyone who comes near **Evangeline Anne Hummel**.

* * *

**Brittany S. Pierce** says stop the violence.

* * *

**Sam Evans** thinks **Noah Puckerman** is a hero.

* * *

**Quinn Fabray** has had her prayers answered.

* * *

**Mike Chang** hopes for a swift recovery.

* * *

**Tina Cohen-Chang** loves **Evangeline Anne Hummel**.

* * *

**Artie Abrams** thinks **Evangeline Anne Hummel** and **Noah Puckerman** are BAMFs.


	12. Somebody Help Me

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long! I've had all of this outlined for so long and just haven't had the time to write it up! I hope those of you still hanging around enjoy. The song in this chapter is Somebody Help Me by Full Blown Rose.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 12:** Somebody Help Me

The second the ambulance doors opened, Puck was assaulted by camera flashes and a mob of journalists asking questions, shouting his name, shouting Eve's name. He was suddenly glad that Evangeline had lost consciousness on the way over, glad she didn't have to see the news teams waiting to pounce, knowing that the scoop on the former model would make a name for them. It didn't hurt that her attacker had also been a famous photographer. The thought of these people benefiting over the whole ordeal had Puck shaking with rage. He started pushing photographers and reporters out of the way, shoving when they pushed back against him or tried to get a peek at Evangeline as the gurney was wheeled into the hospital. Behind him, he could see Burt and Blaine following them, evading questions and cameras.

Inside the hospital, Puck, Burt and Blaine were stopped at the doors leading to the emergency room, forced to remain in the waiting room, much like they had been when Kurt had been at the Westerville Hospital.

When Kurt, Carol and Finn arrived, it was Finn who sat next to Puck. "Dude, we all saw what happened on the news. You saved her," the taller jock said, that goofy smile on his face. "And that was like the coolest thing I've ever seen you do. I mean, it wouldn't have been cool if you got shot, but you didn't, so it was."

Finn offered a fist to bump, which Puck accepted, a small smile on his face. "So my badassness has been reinstated?" he joked, perhaps a bit bitterly.

"Noah, your badassness was never questioned," Kurt said, standing up from his seat. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find the restrooms. Turns out drinking an obsessive amount of water before a drive lasting at least an hour isn't such a great idea."

"You want me to come with you?" Blaine asked.

Kurt glanced at his father, who wore a small smile, before turning back to Blaine. "No, I think I can handle this on my own," he replied before sauntering down the hallway.

It wasn't until he was out of their sight that Kurt's confident exterior slipped, a deep breath escaping this lungs. He'd been so anxious to get to the hospital, to see Evangeline, but now that he was there, he felt stifled, trapped in a way he hadn't expected. It was a different hospital than he'd been in, but that didn't matter. That didn't make it any easier.

He remembered being in the hospital when his mom died, the doctors rushing her about the hallways, needing to get her into the surgery that she wouldn't come out of with a pulse. For a minute, he envisioned the eight-year-old version of himself, standing in the middle of the hallway, his father standing behind him, hands on the tiny shoulders as they watched the gurney pass through those swinging doors and into the operation room.

He remembered standing next to his father's bedside, waiting for him to open his eyes again, wondering if he was going to be all alone in the world. Looking into one of the rooms, he could picture it so clearly, his father with his eyes shut and his entire body still, Kurt holding his hand, begging him to wake up.

He remembered waking up to white walls and the rhythm of a heart monitor, his body writhing uncontrollably in pain and disgust. He could see the doctors looking down at him, putting something into his IV and vaguely hoping that it was something that would make him forget everything.

Now he walked down equally white halls, and all he could see was Dave Karofsky. He was usually an image spared for nightmares, but now he'd stepped out of the dream realm and into reality. Looking down the hall, Kurt could see the wide-set jock standing there, staring back with a blank expression. Then a doctor passed in front of Kurt and the apparition was gone.

Pale and a little shaky, Kurt hurried to the bathroom, grateful to find that it was empty. He immediately turned on the faucet of one of the four sinks and splashed water on his face. It was difficult to keep the nausea from overtaking him, but he managed to keep his lunch down as he stared down at the porcelain sink. He had to remind himself that Karofsky was home. There was no reason for him to be at the Columbus Community Hospital. He was alone in the bathroom.

"Hey, Ladyboy." Looking up into the mirror, Kurt saw Karofsky standing behind him, wearing the same letterman jacket as usual, along with that smirk that said he was going to get something he wanted.

"You're not real," Kurt said, shutting his eyes as tightly as he possibly could.

"I'm not?" he asked. "Didn't you miss me, Hummel? I've been waiting here for you."

When Kurt opened his eyes, he was no longer in the hospital bathroom but that of McKinley High School. Karofsky stood right behind him, looking over his shoulder and into the mirror. The jock wrapped his arms around the slighter boy's waist, pulling him backwards. Kurt could feel the other male's chest against his back, his erection against his backside. This dream-Karofsky leaned forward, pressing Kurt against the sink as he nuzzled the pale neck in front of him. "Kurt, I could be perfect for you. I'll make myself perfect for you."

Remembering having heard these words before, Kurt pulled away from the boy and splashed more water on his face. When he looked up into the mirror again, he was back in the hospital's bathroom, alone.

The bathroom door very suddenly opened, causing Kurt to jump. Even when he realized that it was Blaine, his heart continued to race. "You alright?" the curly-haired boy asked, earning a nod in response. "Eve's awake."

* * *

Puck couldn't believe it. Well, he couldn't blame her either. He'd heard that awful scream when Jared landed next to her on the grass with a bullet in his skull. But somehow, he expected her to open her eyes and be that strong, capable girl he'd always seen in her. He'd seen that girl when she pushed that gun and saved Puck's life. But she wasn't here now. No, what he saw instead was defeat. The second the door opened, the girl jumped at the sound and the entire group was left to take in the image of Eve.

The normally pale girl was sheet-white except for the bruises on her face and neck, forming in the shape of hand-prints, a visual reminder of Jared's attempt to take her life. Her lips were nearly invisible except for where they cracked from her constant biting. The worst of it were her eyes, those blue orbs that held Puck prisoner with their natural gleam. Now they were dull, hollowed out with dark circles forming underneath.

Puck was so perturbed by the sight of her that he remained in the corner of the room, allowing the girl's family to surround her, hugging and kissing her carefully. Kurt instantly sat down on the bed next to her, taking her uninjured right hand into his. The other was covered in a blue cast.

Kurt looked at her with tears in his eyes before leaning his head against her shoulder. "I was so scared. I mean, I knew you were going to be okay, but…what if you weren't?" he asked, finally letting the fear show. He'd seemed so confident when they were sitting at the Hummel house, waiting for news. Now that he knew Evangeline was safe, he could be honest with himself and the fact that he'd been scared out of his mind.

The smile that showed itself on Evangeline's face was for Kurt, to sooth him, not herself. "Everything's okay now," she said in a raspy whisper. Jared had done quite a number on her throat. At the thought, her eyes widened, remembering the vision of Jared staring blankly at her, dead. She knew that if Jared hadn't been shot, he would have killed Noah. That didn't stop her from feeling guilty over it. If she hadn't existed in that man's life, none of it would have happened. He might have lived a perfectly happy life with someone else.

Burt's hand grasping her shoulder startled her from these thoughts and caused her to look up at him expectantly. "Glad to have you back. You know, you really have to stop leaving by yourself. I'm not your mom or dad. I'd do whatever it took to protect you," he said, doing his best not to get emotional in front of everyone.

Carol sat down on the other side of the bed and wrapped her arms around Kurt and Evangeline the way a mother would. "We were all scared. But everything's fine now that you're back," she said in a soothing voice.

The doctor, a competent, surprisingly young female, chose this moment to walk into the room, clipboard in hand. "Evangeline, I'm Dr. Young. How are we feeling today?" she asked in an annoying chipper voice. Eve hated the liberal use of the word "we" when it came to doctors. _We_ weren't just involved in a kidnapping almost resulting in multiple deaths.

"Just sore…bit of a headache," she mumbled.

"Well that's not a surprise. You suffered a pretty back concussion along with some bruising on your neck, face and body, and your hand has been pretty badly broken," the doctor replied, nodding towards the blue cast.

Now it was Kurt who bit his lip. "Will she ever be able to play the violin again?" he asked, causing all of the occupants of the room to hold their breath and stare at the doctor, waiting for an answer.

"I don't know. The damage is pretty severe. You'll have this cast on for at least six weeks. Then we'll do some x-rays and see what we've got. There'll probably be some physical therapy involved. Worst case scenario, you'll need surgery." Evangeline knew what that meant. If she needed surgery or too much physical therapy, it could be years if she ever could play to the same extent she could before the breakage.

So Jared would probably get what he wanted. She would never play again.

"I'll let you rest and sit with your family now. If you have any questions or are in a lot of pain, call for the nurse and she'll either get me or help you out," Dr. Young said before making her exit.

Finn was the first one to break the silence. "That really sucks about your hand, but I'm really glad you're okay," he said with that lopsided grin. "I really would have missed having such an awesome cousin, you know."

It was sweet of them to say, but Evangeline's attention had been taken by someone else, the figure who stood silently in the corner of the room, his eyes constantly lingering on her but his mouth remaining closed. Burt seemed to catch onto this. "Hey, why don't we check out the cafeteria? You want anything Eve? Puckerman?" He looked at the two pointedly.

"No, I'm good, Mr. Hummel," Puck replied.

"Me too, thanks," Eve agreed.

With a nod, Burt herded his family out of the room, leaving Noah and Eve to stare at one another carefully. "Eve…I'm so sorry," he said first, sitting in the chair next to her bed, grasping her right hand in his own.

"About what?"

"About this whole thing. I should have listened to you that day. I know you would have told me about all of those text messages if I had just kept my big mouth shut. I never meant to let this happen," he said, squeezing her hand like a stress ball given out by therapists.

"Look, Noah," she started, "it's not your fault. It was my own problem and I should have been able to handle it on my own. I made the dumb choice to leave on my own."

"You're only one person, Eve. You can't handle everything on your own."

"So are you, Noah."

She looked at him with those imploring blue eyes, as though waiting for him to see reason. "I love you," he said.

"I love you too."

"I like can't be away from you, Eve. The past few days, I thought I was going crazy," he said. "I need you."

"We can't get back together, Noah."

Puck pulled back slightly, a stunned expression on his face. "What? Why not? We both love each other." It didn't make any sense. If two people were in love with one another it was only natural that they were together, right?

"It's not that simple," she replied.

"I want to be with you, Evangeline."

"But I made you doubt that. Even if it was only for a minute, I made you doubt that you wanted to be with me," she said, pausing for a minute to bite her lip. Noah wished she would stop doing that. "I can't be worried that you'll change your mind."

"I won't change my mind. I'm so sure of everything for the first time in my life," he told her honestly.

"That's nice of you to say, Noah, but you say that now. Who knows how you'll feel in a week or a month or a year? I'm not exactly in the right place for a relationship right now anyway." She gestured with her cast to remind him of Jared. When she caught his glance again, she gave him a small smile. "I do need a friend right now though…if you don't mind."

"Eve," he said, not sure what to tell her. He wasn't sure if he _could_ be her friend when all he wanted was to hold her close, to know that they belonged to one another, loved one another. But he had to put aside his own feelings. "Eve, I'll be whatever you need me to be." When she moves over on the bed to make a space for him, he joins her, and soon, she was wrapped in his arms again and he was pressing a kiss against the top of her head. He didn't know how he was ever going to stop loving her. It was going to be difficult to be her friend, but he'd do it if that was what she needed from him.

* * *

"My parents said it'd be alright if you guys need a place to stay," Blaine offered the family, knowing that the use of his residence in Columbus was the most he could do to help. "We live in a big enough house to keep you all."

Burt grinned, but shook his head. "Nah, you all go. I'm going to stay here with Eve."

"Me too," Carol said, as expected. She wasn't about to leave Burt at the hospital by himself.

"Finn?"

"Thanks, dude, but I think I'll stay here," the tallest of the group replied. It was sweet that Finn wanted to stay for Eve. She wasn't even technically his cousin. Carol nearly started to cry at the thought of their little family.

"Hey, maybe tell Puckerman. He's in pretty bad shape; could use a home-cooked meal," Burt mentioned.

Kurt shook his head. "Dad, Puckerman isn't going anywhere and you know it. You couldn't pry him away even if you wanted to."

"I guess that leaves the two of you then," Burt said, smirking the tiniest bit.

Once Kurt realized what that smirk meant, he fell into a fit of lip biting. He was about to meet Blaine's parents, who he'd barely even heard a word about. What if they hated him? Or what if they knew about…he was sure they'd have to know about what happened right? Isn't that something a son would tell his parents? The thought made him feel ill, just as it had when he realized that Warbler's had known the whole story. "Kurt, if you bite your lip any more, you'll start to bleed," Blaine observed, as the car pulled into the driveway. "You alright?"

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I'm just worried about Eve," he covered before stepping out of the car.

The Anderson residence was a monstrous beauty, a most intimidating mansion. Kurt knew that Blaine had money, since he was easily able to afford Dalton's tuition, but he never realized just how rich he was. "C'mon, Kurt," Blaine said, smiling as he took his boyfriend's hand in his own, lacing their fingers together.

The inside of the house was just as magnificent as the outside, Kurt noted as they walked into a grand foyer. He couldn't dwell on it too long because a short woman with dark hair and olive-toned skin came rushing out to meet them. "Kurt, it's so nice to finally meet you," she said, immediately enveloping Kurt in a hug. "Blaine has told me so much about you."

"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Anderson," he said. "I wish I could be here under better circumstances."

"Please, call me Abby," she told him. "How is your cousin then? I couldn't believe it when I saw it on the news."

"She's okay. She's resting now so hopefully she'll be out of the hospital in a couple of days," Kurt replied.

Their conversation was interrupted by a tall, slim figure running down the stairs so quickly that Kurt could barely make out any features before he had an armful of who he guessed was Blaine's brother, Reece. The boys looked remarkably similar, Kurt noted, as the moppy-haired youth pulled back. Reece was the taller and less-groomed version of his younger brother. "Hey, I'm Reece," he said enthusiastically. "It's so great to meet you! I mean, all I hear is this guy talking about how great you are. 'His eyes are so blue' and 'He has the voice of an angel' and all that jazz." Blaine didn't even have the chance to express his embarrassment before the last of the Anderson family made his entrance.

"That's enough Reece."

The voice had come from the hallway before a looming man entered the foyer. His masculine features were fixed in a stern look, one that had Kurt reaching for Blaine's hand in intimidation. "You must be Kurt." When Kurt nodded, the man reached forward and shook Kurt's hand. "I'm Blaine's father."

"N-Nice to meet you," Kurt replied carefully.

Mrs. Anderson definitely seemed to notice the tension and showed such mercy that Kurt felt he owed her the greatest possible amount of gratitude, or his first adopted child or something of the like. "Why don't you boys go upstairs and relax while I get dinner ready? It shouldn't be too long now."

However, Kurt felt he owed her less once the three boys got to Blaine's room and Reece began the interrogation. "Have you noticed how much product Blaine puts in his hair? I bet he hasn't even shown you his hobbit hair yet." Kurt instantly corrected him, having seen the hobbit hair on a regular basis since they usually shared his room at night. "Hey, I saw that 'Don't Tell Mama' video on Facebook. Is the Latina girl single?"

"Santana? As far as I know, yeah, but I have an odd suspicion that she's trying to mack on my cousin," he mentioned.

"Really? Hot," was Reece's reply, earning him a smack on the head from Blaine. "What? They'd be hot, that's all."

"You're so heterosexual," Blaine said with a laugh.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty grateful after seeing the way Dad reacted to Kurt. No offense, Kurtsie. I think you're a doll, but the old man is preeeeetty homophobic," Reece explained.

"I could have guessed," Kurt replied.

They were interrupted by Mrs. Anderson calling them down for dinner. Nervously the three joined the two adults in the dining room, another beautifully decorated room. As they ate, they remained tense and silent as though if a sound were uttered, it would be the end of the world.

Mrs. Anderson, however, decided to try and make small talk. "So, Kurt, I have you started to think about what you want to do after high school?" she asked with a chipper voice.

"I'm not sure yet. Either music or fashion." The scoff from Mr. Anderson went ignored.

"What do you parents do?" she asked.

"My dad owns his own garage, so he fixes cars and does some detail work."

"And your mother?"

Kurt faltered for a moment. He wasn't used to people asking about his mother. Most of his acquaintances knew one way or another. "My mom died when I was a kid," he replied softly.

"Oh goodness, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay."

Kurt found himself in the kitchen with Mrs. Anderson after dinner, helping with the dishes like any good house guest. "I can't believe that crazy photographer went after your cousin like that. Makes me glad that I never had daughters. I'd be sick with worry letting them go anywhere after seeing something like this," she admitted.

"Yeah, we're all relieved that she's going to be okay. I wish it hadn't been so widely broadcasted though. You should have seen the reporters lined up outside of the hospital. I almost couldn't get inside," Kurt explained.

Abby shook her head. "Such a shame. Your cousin's very beautiful. I can see the family resemblance."

Before Kurt could thank her, they heard arguing coming from the living room.

"Dad, you have to accept that Blaine is gay. It's not just going to go away because you don't like it," Reece said from his spot on one of the armchairs.

Mr. Anderson looked at Blaine. "Now look, I understand you're young and want to experiment—"

"I love Kurt! Why can't you understand that?"

"You can't love Kurt. His father is a damn mechanic for Christ's sake. This kid is a good old-fashioned gold digger." The man sighed, standing in front of a large fireplace.

"This isn't about money."

"Don't be naïve, Blaine. Of course, it is! And that Lima trash just isn't good enough for you, for an Anderson!" He was yelling now, as if he wanted the whole neighborhood to hear him.

It didn't matter how loud he yelled because Kurt would have heard it anyway. Standing in the doorway, next to Abby, Kurt went completely still, shock written on his face, before turning and running from the room. "Kurt!" Blaine called out, following him.

"Nice going, Dad," Reece said, standing from his chair. "You've officially reached a new low, calling the rape victim trash an all."

Mr. Anderson looked up. "Rape victim?" When he glanced over at his wife, she nodded silently. "I didn't know."

Meanwhile, Blaine had managed to deter Kurt from leaving the house and got him into his bedroom, locking the door before Reece could come up and bother them. "Kurt, I'm really sorry about what my dad said. Our relationship is none of his business," Blaine started, still seething but trying to calm down in order to keep from upsetting Kurt more.

Kurt turned to look at him. "Why apologize? He's right, after all. I'm just some Lima trash," he replied.

With his jaw set, Blaine walked over to Kurt and grasped his shoulders, somehow gentle and firm at the same time. "No, you're not, Kurt. I don't ever want to hear you calling yourself trash again. I won't let you stand here and think that about yourself." He smiled now. "You are my beautiful, talented, compassionate, all-out amazing boyfriend, and I love you."

"I love you too," Kurt replied before pulling Blaine in for a tight hug. They stood there like that for a moment until they heard a muffled voice come through the door.

"Awww, you two are so sweet." Reece's head thumped against the door as the boys slowly pulled apart.

"Reece, I will kill you," Blaine said, light-heartedly as he opened the door and chased his brother down the hall. Kurt smiled for a minute, listening to the hustle and bustle of the two boys playing around, before going into the bathroom to get started on some sort of nightly routine. He didn't have all of his moisturizers with him, but he was sure Blaine would have something that would suffice.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he tried to see what Blaine saw in him. Maybe before he would have seen himself as beautiful, or even talented. Now, all he saw was Karofsky, staring back at him, mocking him. He saw his own fear and vulnerability, how alone he truly was.

So he did what he always did…imagined a tune and began to sing.

_I'm being haunted by a whisper  
A chill comes over me  
I've been trapped inside this moment  
I'm not a victim. I'm not a freak_

_Free me  
Before I slip away  
Heal me  
Wake me from this day  
Can somebody help me?_

* * *

It was difficult for Evangeline to pry herself from the sleeping Noah, but it became desperate for her to get to the bathroom. After untangling herself, she dragged her IV drip along with her towards the bathroom door, entering cautiously, so as to make sure no tubes or anything came ripping out of her arm. The bathroom was tiny and dimly lit, but it had a mirror. For the first time, she saw all of the damage. She saw her blackened eyes and the bruises on her neck, the paleness of her skin and the cut on her lip where she's been biting.

And she saw Jared. There he was, standing behind her, an apparition from the dead. He looked over her shoulder into the mirror. "You killed me."

"No…"

"You fucking killed me!"

But when she turned around to face him, he wasn't there.

She began to sing quietly to herself.

_I've seen the face of my affliction  
Of my reality  
I'm being tortured by the future  
Of things that are yet to be_

_I'm being haunted by a vision  
It's like the morning never comes  
I feel the burden of confusion  
Always searching on the run_

_Free me  
Before I slip away  
Heal me  
Wake me from this day  
Can somebody help me?_

* * *

Kurt closed his eyes, no longer wanting to look at himself, but found no reprieve. Karofsky was taking over every part of him, slipping into his brain through his bloodstream like a nasty drug. And now he hung underneath Kurt's eyelids so even when he closed his eyes, there was escape.

_No I'm not a hero no  
But the weight of the world's on my soul  
These images burn in my eyes  
They're burning me up inside_

_Free me  
Before I slip away  
Heal me  
Wake me from this day  
Can somebody help me?_

"Kurt? Is everything alright?" It was Blaine on the other side of the bathroom door. That knowledge didn't stop him from jumping at the sound of his voice.

"Y-Yeah, just getting ready for bed," he replied before finishing up.

When he and Blaine settled into his full-sized bed, Kurt was comforted by Blaine's embrace. But his eyes remained wide open.

* * *

Evangeline took one more look at herself in the mirror, confirming that she was the only one there. But she knew it didn't matter. She knew that the second she allowed herself time to think, time to process what happened, she would have to face him again. She would have to see that blank, dead stare of his boring into her.

_Free me  
Before I slip away  
Heal me  
Wake me from this day  
Can somebody help me?  
Somebody help me_

* * *

"Evangeline?"

When had it become such a struggle to open her eyes. Oh…right, she was being pumped with drugs. That probably made it harder.

"Eve, come on. It's like totally weird right now. You look all deadish."

The blonde had to smile at that. There was only one person who would say something like that. Opening her eyes, she found Santana looking down at her from beside her bed. On the other side, stood Noah with the seemingly perpetual look of worry.

"Hi," she said to the two of them.

"Hi? That's all you have to say?" Santana asked, a smirk on her face. "I'll let you off this time because I know they got you hooked up with painkillers. And I'm just glad you're here and alive instead of in the morgue."

"Agreed," Noah supplied.

"Where is everyone?" Evangeline asked, pushing herself up into a seated position. When Noah grabbed her arm to assist her, her eyes shot to him, startled at the contact. With an apologetic look, he let go.

"Uh, they're on their way," Noah told her.

"Yeah, I hope they get here soon because you two are so totally awkward. It's painful."

Santana's hope was rewarded, for no more than five minutes later, the room was filled with all of the glee members, along with Mr. Schuester. The first few minutes were just as awkward as before, as Evangeline's glee mates stared at her in horror of what they were seeing. But within ten or twenty minutes, the whole room was filled with chatter and laughter. Everything seemed right again.

"Girl, I cannot wait for you to get back to glee club," Mercedes stated.

"Yeah, it was…it was really weird not having you around. That and everyone was totally freaking out about the whole thing," Finn mentioned.

Rachel was next. "We were all really scared."

Eve didn't know what she expected when she saw everyone. She knew when she'd left that it was going to scare her friends and family. But the plan was to go somewhere new, get away before letting everyone know she was fine. It just hadn't worked out that way. "Thanks. I really appreciate you guys coming and worrying. Everything's okay now. I'm really sorry I made you worry so much."

"No, I will have no apologizing here," Mr. Schuester said, smiling. "We're all just glad that you're okay."

It was nice having everyone there for her. Even Kurt was smiling along with everyone else, something that, despite how far he'd come, was still a difficult feat at times.

But Evangeline knew the second she was alone again, he would come back for her to torment her.

He'd be back.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel **is so happy to see **Evangeline Anne Hummel** doing well.

**Rachel Berry**, **Santana Lopez **and **43 people** like this.

**Wes Richter:** Let her know the Warblers are all thinking about her. Especially me.

**David Thompson: **Seriously, tell her.

**Kurt Hummel** and **Blaine Anderson** like this.

* * *

**Santana Lopez** officially reinstates the badassness of **Noah Puckerman**.

**Mercedes Jones, Artie Abrams **and **13 people** like this.

**Noah Puckerman: **Like I needed you to tell me how badass I am.

**Santana Lopez:** Well you sure as hell needed it when you were acting like a little bitch.

* * *

**Rachel Berry** hopes for the swiftest of recoveries for **Evangeline Anne Hummel**.

* * *

**Tina Cohen-Chang **wants to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

* * *

**Brittany S. Pierce **is wishing on a magic unicorn.

* * *

**Sam Evans** is so relieved.

* * *

**Quinn Fabray** can't believe she's okay.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones** loves **Evangeline Anne Hummel**. Get better, boo!

* * *

**Mike Chang **hopes from now on that everyone will be safe and healthy and happy.

* * *

**Artie Abrams** has never been so scared and so relieved.

* * *

**Finn Hudson** will kill anyone else who comes near his family. Or at least hurt them really badly.

* * *

**Blaine Anderson **is keeping the Hummel-Hudson clan in his thoughts.

* * *

**Noah Puckerman** is happy to see her alive.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** to **Finn Hudson:** Operation E is a go.

**Finn Hudson, Rachel Berry** and **10 people** like this.


	13. No One is Alone

**A/N:** Hello again! The song in this chapter is "No One Is Alone" from _Into the Woods_ as sung by Bernadette Peters. Please, look up the video of her singing it. It's wonderful.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee.

**For Good**

**Chapter 13:** No One Is Alone

The day that Evangeline was released from the hospital, there were two things that didn't quite surprise her.

The first was the fact that reporters were swarming the outside of the hospital the second Noah wheeled her out through the front entrance. Microphones were thrust in her face, questions hurled at her a mile a minute. It was disgusting. Really, she knew it was because she had been in the modeling business. And these people…once they caught wind of a story involving someone who was somewhat in the public eye, they became vultures seeking out their prey until the presses were fired up and the ink dried on the newsstand.

"Get the _fuck_ away from her!" Noah shouted as he helped Evangeline up from the wheelchair. She was fine enough to walk really. It was ridiculous that hospitals still made you exit in a wheelchair despite being almost completely healed, besides some bruises that still lingered and her mangled left hand.

Burt, Finn and Puck made a kind of human shield around her as they pushed through the reporters. Carole was already waiting in the car. Once they loaded Evangeline into the backseat, Carole rolled out of the parking lot, threatening to run over any reporter that got in her way without remorse.

The second thing that didn't surprise Evangeline was that when they walked into the Hummel-Hudson residence, there was the entire glee club, Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury waiting for them. As they had planned the same thing for Kurt when he returned from the hospital, Eve had been expecting something like this, and though she was tired, she was grateful for the distraction from her own thoughts.

To be fair, there _was_ something that surprised her. Once they had all been fed and spent the afternoon chatting and laughing, Kurt pretended to look at an invisible watch on his wrist before looking at Evangeline. "Oh, look at what time it is. Guys, I think we'd better get Eve to her party."

Confused, she looked at the others. "This isn't my party?"

"Well, yeah, this is part of it," Rachel said. "But we have something else waiting for you too."

Santana grinned. "Something our adult supervisors aren't invited to."

So Evangeline was loaded into Kurt's car, along with Noah, Mercedes, and Artie. The other glee members followed as they took what Evangeline realized was the familiar route to the house she still owned, though no longer habituated. Indeed, when the car stopped, it was parked right outside the house.

It was difficult getting out of the car.

"Eve, are you alright?" Kurt asked, concerned.

She wasn't sure if she was alright. The last time she was here, Jared had been waiting there for her, ready to kill her. He'd broken everything in the house, too, if she remembered correctly. Part of her expected to walk inside to find the exact same scene she'd been in last time, despite knowing that Jared was dead, despite knowing that she was with people who would protect her from anything.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, opening the car door to hop out of the passenger seat.

Kurt smiled, offering his arm until she entwined hers with his. Together they walked to the front door, everyone following behind. "Ready?" Kurt asked. He earned a nod in return.

When the door swept open, Evangeline was greeted with an onslaught of colors, coming from banners, posters and streamers thrown everywhere. There was no broken glass and no empty spaces where her broken belongings had once been. It seemed there was something everywhere. In the kitchen, there was alcohol, the living room had a karaoke machine, and even the bathrooms were filled with decorations. If someone had been walking into the house for the first time, they never would have guessed that anyone had been attacked here.

"Alright everybody!" shouted Santana as everyone walked into the house. "We're, of course, grateful to see our sexy lady out of the hospital. So in honor of Eve, let's get crunk!" Everyone cheered, and the drinks were immediately passed out.

Evangeline would later have trouble recalling most of the events that took place that night.

She would remember a drunken game of spin the bottle. What kind of party would this be without spin the bottle? It was an empty Miller Light bottle that was placed in the middle of their rather large circle, the beer bottle acting as the instrument of what was a strange mixture of fate and physics. And it seemed the bottle was biased enough to pick only same-sex partners.

Rachel and Quinn had caused quite a stir. So did Mike and Blaine.

Santana didn't seem to mind much when Evangeline's spin stopped, facing her. The imprint of this moment on Eve's mind was entirely sensory. She could remember the smell of Santana's perfume, the ironically vanilla flavor of her lip gloss and the sounds of deep, male voices, groaning at the sight before them. Puck was uncharacteristically silent.

Eve would also remember an odd moment when she tried to cut the cast off of her left arm with a butter knife. Finn only just managed to stop her.

Then there was that time when Kurt and Blaine were dancing on her coffee table. Their hips seemed to have been glued together as they swayed with one another. Kurt must have been plastered.

Had they ordered pizza at one point? She vaguely remembered opening the door and laughing at some poor guy's work uniform before throwing some money at him.

And she would remember feeling oddly satisfied when she closed her eyes and finally went to sleep.

When she woke up, she would regret it all. The first sensation was the typical, nearly cliché pounding in her skull. The second was the dryness in her throat, which was what caused her to actually open her blue eyes to see if there was anything nearby that might quench her thirst, anything that wasn't alcoholic in nature. There wasn't. But once she got to looking around the living room of her house, she found herself distracted from her dry throat.

The entire glee club seemed to be sprawled out across the room, all in various stages of undress. She certainly didn't remember Brittany stripping down to her bra and panties or Kurt taking his pants off to resemble Tom Cruise ala _Risky Business_. Looking down at herself, she was relieved to find that she was still fully clothed.

The same couldn't be said for Noah Puckerman, who lay next to her in nothing but one sock, his left. It was nothing she hadn't seen before, but she was sure the male wouldn't be pleased to find himself naked in front of the rest of the glee club when he woke up. She threw the blanket that had been covering her moments earlier over him carefully.

It was definitely time to make some coffee and get the painkillers ready for everyone.

She was in the kitchen when she heard Sam exclaim, "Puck! Put that thing away!" It made her smile until she saw Jared standing in the corner of the room, staring at her with those dead, gray eyes.

* * *

"How is your cousin?" asked Dr. Donovan, crossing his legs to sit more comfortably in the leather chair across from Kurt's.

"She's better, I think. It was good to see her having fun after everything that happened," the brunette replied.

"Does what happened to her remind you of what happened to you?"

Kurt hadn't really thought about it, but he guessed the two incidents were pretty similar, just like him and Evangeline. And it had been after she was attacked that Kurt started seeing Karofsky following him around. "Now that I'm thinking about it, yeah. When Eve first old us about Jared and what he was like, I remember telling her not to let what happened to me happen to her. I feel the same kind of guilt now too, like there was something more I could have done. She was dealing with it all by herself," he explained.

"When you first came to me and I asked you about what happened to you, you said you should have been able to push your attacker off of you. Now you're reliving your guilt. You should have been able to do something. But Kurt, there are things that happen that you can't control. From what you've told me, your attacker was nearly twice your size and a football player at that. And Evangeline…she made a bad decision in not asking for help when she needed it—"

"It wasn't her fault!" Kurt shouted suddenly.

"But she couldn't fight him off."

"She tried to!"

"So did you."

There was a pause between them before Kurt realized what the man was doing. By getting him to admit that Evangeline wasn't at fault for what happened to her, he would be getting Kurt to say that he, too, was not to blame. "That's different," he said.

"Why?"

"I'm a man. I should be able to protect myself."

"Thinking like that won't change what happened. Instead of thinking about what you could have done, think about what happened. Until you can do that, it will be difficult for us to move forward." The doctor looked at him with a serious expression on his face.

"Can we talk about something else?" Kurt asked.

"Of course. How's your libido?"

Kurt sighed.

It was nearly impossible for Kurt to concentrate throughout the school day. Even listening to his friends chat during lunch seemed to be a chore. Besides, they were all Warblers. They were probably talking about the next solo that Blaine would have. He didn't really have to listen.

Instead he dwelled on what Dr. Donovan told him. Was he really thinking about what he could have done differently just to keep from thinking about what actually happened to him? No, that couldn't be true. He couldn't be thinking so much about that because he was distracted by the fact that the apparition of Karofsky was still following him around. Every time he looked at his own reflection, the broad young man loomed behind him, only to disappear when Kurt turned around. Even when he was walking through the hallways at Dalton, he thought he could see the red letterman jacket in his peripheral vision.

"Kurt, are you alright?" Blaine asked, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine."

Blaine didn't buy it. "Are you sure? You seem kind of out of it."

"Blaine, I'm fine!" Kurt snapped. Realizing that he had just snapped at his wonderful, supportive, perfect boyfriend and probably would again, Kurt stood up from his spot at the table. "Sorry, Blaine. I-I…just need to be alone for a bit." With that, he briskly walked out of the cafeteria. He was half surprised that Blaine wasn't following him as he made his way back to his dorm, the only place he could think of to be alone at the moment.

It was at times like this that Kurt was glad not to have been assigned a roommate. Anyone living with Kurt would have thought he was insane, what with the way he now entered the room, breathing unevenly and looking around as though fearful that something awful was going to happen any second. Slamming the door behind him, he locked it quickly before leaning against it, his heart racing, his chest rising and falling with each ragged breath.

Kurt pushed himself off of the door, unlocking it just as quickly as he had locked it a moment earlier. He needed water. To drink, to splash on his face. It didn't matter, as long as it was cold. Running into the dorm's communal bathroom, he flipped on the faucet and started splashing water against his face, not even caring that it was completely ruining all of his careful moisturizing. He was so hot, so feverish all of the sudden, his throat parched, his face turning pink.

That is, until he looked into the mirror. Any color in his face was drained at the sight of David Karofsky standing behind him, observing him with a lustful expression. Still dripping wet, Kurt stared at him, speechless for a moment, until he grew angry. It started as a gnawing pain in the pit of his stomach that spread like a cancer, taking over his body and his mind.

"Leave me alone!" he shouted at the apparition in the mirror. "You ruined my life, you fucking bastard! You ruined me!" Before he even knew what he was doing, Kurt sent his fist flying through the glass of the mirror, causing it to shatter, pieces falling into the sink along with Kurt's blood. Nursing the bloody hand, Kurt knelt on the bathroom floor, gasping for air. He was going crazy. That was what was happening. He was going insane.

"Kurt?" Who was that? It wasn't Blaine. That wasn't Blaine's voice. Where was Blaine? "Fuck, Kurt! What happened?" It was Wes, kneeling next to him, grabbing paper towels to cover Kurt's bleeding hand. "Kurt, hold this here and stay put. Don't go anywhere, okay?" Kurt nodded dumbly and watched Wes leave the bathroom.

* * *

When Evangeline used to model, she was never too perturbed by the way people looked at her. She was always being styled or photographed or watched on the runway. There were always at least ten different pairs of eyes on her while she was working.

But this was different. Walking the halls of McKinley left Evangeline open to the stares of her peers, their looks of sympathy and awe making her want to turn right around and go back home. Burt had told her to take the week off, but she had refused, wanting to get herself back to a normal schedule before she fell into a week of depression and massive calorie intake. And she thought being around people might take her mind off of…things. Besides, it wouldn't be that bad. It was school. She had been here so many times before. But now it was different. While she'd been able to walk through the halls with ease before, even the sound of a locker closing was enough to startle her.

Luckily, she was surrounded by her friends, led unsurprisingly by Noah. The second anyone came near her, someone was between her and them. In her mind, she knew she was safe. Even without the glee club tailing her like some detail, she would know that she was safe. Jared was dead. She simply wished that the rest of her could understand this, that she didn't see him walking behind her, feel him watching her from afar.

"Evangeline!" Ugh. Eve knew that voice. There was Jacob Ben Israel with his frizzy afro and a microphone, being followed around by his camera man.

"Fuck off, Ben Israel," Noah said.

"Eve, is it true that your romance with McKinley stud Noah Puckerman is back on?" Even as the group continued to walk, he followed, spouting questions. "It's rumored that you're planning on moving back to New York to model now that you'll probably never play the violin again."

This made Eve stop in her tracks. What if she could never play the violin again? Her entire career as a musician would be ruined. She wasn't a strong enough singer to make a career of it. What would she do? She didn't have any other incredible talents. She didn't have knack for numbers or business, and she didn't pay enough attention in biology to go onto be a science major in college. She wasn't into history, and though she liked English literature, she didn't like it enough to study it for four years. She had nothing she wanted to pursue more than music, nothing that was worthy enough to replace it.

But there was one thing she was good at, one thing that would make money. And that was modeling.

"No, she's not going back to modeling. She's staying here. Now get out of her face," Noah said, pulling Evangeline along with him as they started walking again. She hadn't even uttered a word, but she was glad.

She wasn't sure what her answer would have been.

* * *

"Kurt?" Now that was Blaine's voice. He was sure of it, even as his eyes remained tightly strewn shut. "Kurt, please. Just talk to me." It was a nice voice that Blaine had, smooth even when he was upset and worried. It wasn't the only thing Kurt could concentrate on besides the pulsing throb of his right hand. Still, he forced himself to open his eyes, only to find that he was in the nurse's office, his hand wrapped, Blaine standing over where he laid. There was that worried expression, the one where Blaine's thick eyebrows made stern lines on his forehead.

"How did I get here?"

"Wes got the nurse when he found you in the bathroom. Kurt, what were you thinking?" he asked, almost like a parent more than a boyfriend, but Kurt could tell he wasn't being scolded. Blaine was just scared, like anyone would be if they were dating someone who was going absolutely insane.

Speaking of which, the whole ordeal seemed to come back to Kurt, the image of Karofsky, punching the mirror, yelling and screaming, the blood and the glass. "I saw him, Blaine. He was in the mirror." Then Kurt started laughing. It all sounded so ridiculous, so crazy. But the laughter quickly turned into tears the moment he looked at Blaine's face again. "I'm not dealing with this very well, am I?"

Blaine sat down next to him on the cot. "That's not true. You're dealing with it a lot better than I would have."

"No, I'm not. Blaine, you don't have to shield me from this. I feel like I'm going crazy some days. When…sometimes when I look in mirrors, I see Dave Karofsky standing there behind me, leering at me. And I know that he's not really there. I just…feel like he's following me," Kurt explained. "I need to talk to Dr. Donovan."

"Right now? You should rest a little while."

"Blaine! I need to see him! This is important." The look on Kurt's face was so absolute that Blaine had no choice but to agree.

This was how Kurt ended up in the nurse's office with just Dr. Donovan. The middle-aged man had the same look he always had, inquisitive but not invasive, concerned but not over-protective. "Could you tell me what happened, Kurt?" he asked.

He tried to think of some way he could explain, some way he could make himself sound sane. But it wasn't the time for that. It was time to be honest, to face what was happening to him. "I…I keep seeing Karofsky. In mirrors. He just looks at me. Sometimes he speaks to me. I just don't know why this is happening. I was fine until…until Eve almost…"

"Until Eve almost died," finished the doctor. Kurt nodded. "Kurt, you're not going crazy. You've been repressing what happened to you. This is your mind's way of saying that you have to face what happened."

"He ruined my life; that's what happened."

"He didn't ruin your life, Kurt. You're going to live a fulfilling life. He's made things very difficult for you, no doubt. But when you deal with this, you'll move on. You might carry it with you for the rest of your life, but you're going to be just fine."

"You think so?" Kurt asked, hopeful but skeptical.

"I know so." The doctor smiled for a moment before continuing. "Kurt, I mean it when I say that you have to deal with what happened. I know you have some trouble remembering some of the details of that day, but focusing on what you do remember will help. Tell me what happened to you, Kurt."

Kurt wanted to tell him everything, but it came down to one sentence, three words total. "I was raped," he replied, grinding his teeth. But as he said it, he suddenly felt lighter, as though just saying it was enough to take much of the load off.

* * *

Eve didn't know how she ended up in the girl's bathroom, but there she was, cowering in one of the stalls, trying to force herself out so she could go to glee club. Maybe Burt had been right when he said it might be too early for Eve to head back to school. The noise and the staring and the people whispering to one another…it was all too much. And as she cowered, she mentally berated herself for being so weak, so delicate. This wasn't her. This was someone who lived in a world of fear, someone who couldn't even handle walking down a hallway without jumping out of her skin.

Opening the stall door, she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She wore no makeup and had no plans to any time soon. Why bother? The same went for her clothes. No heels adorned her feet today; no frilly tops or tight skirts were donned. She wore the closest thing to pajamas she could allow herself: a pair of skinny jeans and a slim-fitted sweatshirt and a pair of flat espadrilles. Her short, blonde locks were in a state of disarray.

"Eve?" Evangeline jumped and turned at the sound of Santana's voice. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, of course. I was just freshening up before glee club." She knew she was late, but it was the best excuse she could make.

"Come on. We've got something for you." Santana grabbed Eve's hand and led her out of the bathroom. Just as Evangeline had surmised, they were heading towards the choir room, where the rest of the glee club was already hanging out.

As soon as Evangeline entered the room, Finn took her hands and led her to one of the chairs in the front. "We thought that since you're back, we should put something together for you. It was Tina's idea, really. She picked the song and everything. And, well, it's everything we want to say to you."

The group was assembled so that the girls stood on the right, the boys on the left. Tina was the first to start singing after the piano introduction.

_No one here to guide you  
Now you're on your own  
Only me beside you  
Still you're not alone_

_No one is alone, truly  
No one is alone_

Finn joined in, smiling at Eve as he sang.

_Sometimes people leave you  
Halfway through the wood  
Others may deceive you  
You decide what's good_

Everyone started singing now, filling the song with soft harmonies. Eve didn't even jump at their joined voices, as the song they chose was soft and soothing while being encouraging and full of hope.

_You decide alone  
But no one is alone_

Kurt and Blaine laid, curled up on Kurt's bed, Blaine spooning him from behind, as they listened to the McKinley glee club sing. The video was playing in the backroom, but neither of them wanted to watch. They simply listened, holding one another as Santana's voice rang out.

_People make mistakes  
Fathers, mothers  
People make mistakes_

And as the others joined in again, Kurt grasped Blaine's hand and held it tightly to his chest.

_Holding to their own  
Thinking they're alone._

Evangeline smiled, misty eyed as Artie and Rachel sang together.

_Honor their mistakes  
Everybody makes  
One another's  
Terrible mistakes_

_Witches can be right  
Giants can be good  
You decide what's right  
You decide what's good_

_Just remember…_

For the rest of the song, the voices of the entire glee club melded together, creating the choral masterpiece Mr. Schuester always knew they were capable of.

_Someone is on your side  
Someone else is not  
Well we're seeing our side  
Maybe you forgot_

_They are not alone  
Cause no one is alone_

_Hard to see the light now  
Just don't let it go  
Things will turn out right now  
We will make it so_

_Someone is on your side.  
No one is alone_

Rachel moved forward to take Eve's hand, pulling her out of her seat and into the group so they could all embrace her the way they'd wanted to when she had been lying in that hospital bed just days ago. Though it was a large, group hug, Eve knew it was Noah who placed a comforting hand between her shoulder blades without looking to see who was where.

She always knew when it was him.

* * *

"Hey Kurt," Blaine said in a soft voice. He was still curled around Kurt on his bed, holding him close to his chest.

"Yeah?"

"Did you notice something?" Kurt turned around to look at his boyfriend, not sure what he was talking about. "I've been holding you from behind for almost an hour now."

"So?"

Blaine smirked. "You couldn't see me, but you didn't freak out."

_Oh_. Kurt suddenly sat up, thinking about it. He wasn't nervous because he knew it was Blaine, the boy that he loved. He knew this before, too, when he'd been freaking out, but this was different. He didn't just know it with his mind. He knew it throughout his entire body, through all of his senses.

And for once, Karofsky wasn't even on his mind, much less in his line of vision as he looked over towards the mirror on the other end of the room.

Blaine sat up next to him, grasping his hand. "Are you okay?"

Kurt smiled, leaning in to kiss Blaine on the corner of his lips before pulling back.

"Yeah, I'm getting there."

* * *

The next day, Evangeline stood in front of the glee club, trying to will herself to speak. They all looked at her with a mixture of concern and intrigue, wondering what it was that they had to tell them. "I want you all to know that I really appreciate everything you've done for me. Yesterday meant a lot to me," she started, wringing her hands nervously.

Rachel seemed to take this as a sign that she was finished. "We were happy to do it. I think the song would make a great number at sectionals and I took some notes on how we can make it sound even better—"

"I'm going back to New York." She blurted it out over whatever it was Rachel was going to say next, not being able to wait a second longer to tell them.

In that instant, everyone's face fell. When Evangeline's eyes met Noah's, she could see his pained shock, his utter disappointment.

"What?" Tina asked. "Why?"

"I got a few modeling jobs and now that I can't play the violin…"

"That's bullshit, and you know it!" Noah shouted, getting to his feet. "You'll play again. You just have to give it time. You don't have to go to New York. Please don't go." He was reaching for her, grasping her shoulders, begging her to stay.

But she couldn't, and so she pulled away. "I have to go. Figgins wants my locker emptied by this afternoon…"

"When do you leave?" Mike asked.

Eve looked at them all, trying not to swell with tears. "Tomorrow morning. I…I just want you all to know how sorry I am to leave so soon before sectionals. I know you'll do great without me, but still…" The glee clubbers looked at her, shocked into silence as she backed herself towards the door. "I'm so sorry, but I have to go."

And then she ran.

* * *

**Evangeline Anne Hummel** is packing her bags.

**Kurt Hummel**: DISLIKE

**Noah Puckerman**, **Finn Hudson **and **13 others** liked this.

* * *

**Tina Cohen-Chang** to **Evangeline Anne Hummel:** We'll miss you! Don't hesitate to call!

* * *

**Rachel Berry **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel: **The team won't be as good without your talents…And I'll miss seeing you every day.

* * *

**Sam Evans **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Hey, you'd better have an awesome time in NYC. I mean, as awesome a time as you can without me and my James Earl Jones impression around.

* * *

**Artie Abrams **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Don't forget us little people when you're on the cover of Vogue.

* * *

**Mercedes Jones **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Girl, you'd better Skype with me the second you get off that plane! Xoxo Merci

* * *

**Blaine Anderson **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Take care of yourself in the big city! Save a spot for me and Kurt once we graduate.

* * *

**Quinn Fabray **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Come back soon so we can have another sleepover.

* * *

**Mike Chang **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel: **Don't get too famous while you're out there!

* * *

**Brittany S. Pierce **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** Watch out for the troll that lives under the brooklyn bridge.

* * *

**Santana** ** Lopez **to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** If you ever want some sweet lady kisses, you know where to find me.

* * *

**Kurt Hummel** to** Evangeline Anne Hummel:** You'd better send me some of your free swag when you're at your big photo shoots! Love you!

* * *

**Finn Hudson** is driving **Evangeline Anne Hummel **to the airport.

* * *

"Nobody is mad at you, okay?" Finn said as they stood right outside of Evangeline's gate. "They all understand this is what you want."

Evangeline looked up at him, tears in her eyes. If only he knew that this was the last thing she wanted. She wished she could stay here, play the violin at Sectionals and see them bring home their trophy. Looking down at her left hand, she knew it was impossible.

She didn't burst into tears until Finn pulled her close. "It's going to be okay, right?" She nodded against her cousin's chest. His warmth was unlike anything she'd ever experienced in a person she'd only met a few months ago. Without a doubt he was family now, and it broke her heart to leave when she felt so wholly loved by the him and the other members of the glee club.

"Alright, my turn," Burt said, hugging his niece. Carol was quick to join in. "Now, you know I don't like that you're living alone out there. So you find a roommate as soon as you can. And the second you want to come back, you give me a call and we'll have everything set up for you."

Evangeline held onto Burt and Carole as though it were the last time she was ever going to see them. Like Finn, Carol had been quick to let Evangeline into her giving heart. "You have to come back for holidays. I don't care how busy you are. I won't take no for an answer." They both laughed through their tears as she said this.

"Evangeline!"

Tears flung as she snapped her head towards the sound of that voice. And there he was, running towards her, the security guards giving chase as he ran to her.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, his lips pressed against hers, his hands diving into her cropped hair. It was the kind of clichéd kiss that left one dizzy afterwards. "Don't go, Eve. You don't have to go. I love you. Please don't go."

"Last call for flight 217."

Evangeline pulled away. What choice did she have? "Goodbye, Noah." With two words, she saw his face collapse into agony, a canvas of the destructive forces of teenage love and separation. It was a face that made her want to forget all of this and stay with him forever, to make him happy again. But she couldn't.

With one more woeful look at her family, she turned and walked through the gate.

And just like that, she was gone.


End file.
